Serous carcinoma of the ovary and peritoneum with metastases to the breast and axillary lymph nodes: a potential pitfall

Metastasis of ovarian or peritoneal serous carcinoma to the breast and/or axillary lymph nodes is a rare event. Nevertheless, its recognition and distinction from mammary carcinoma are of great clinical importance because the treatment and prognosis differ significantly. Eighteen cases of ovarian or peritoneal serous carcinoma metastatic to the breast and/or axillary LNs from a 14-year period (1990-2003) were retrieved from our files. Clinical information was obtained from the patients' charts. The age of the patients ranged from 21 to 67 years (median, 55 years). The primary tumors included 14 ovarian serous carcinomas (11 high grade and 3 low grade; 2 of the low-grade tumors presented as serous tumors of low malignant potential and recurred as low-grade serous carcinoma) and 4 peritoneal serous carcinomas (3 high grade and 1 low grade). Of the ovarian neoplasms, 1 was stage I and 10 were stage III tumors; the breast and/or axillary lymph node metastases were discovered on average 30 months after presentation (range, 7-135 months). Three of the ovarian serous carcinomas were stage IV tumors; in 1 case, there were axillary lymph node metastases at initial presentation; and in 2 cases, breast and/or axillary lymph node metastases developed at 18 and 102 months. Two of the 4 patients with peritoneal serous carcinoma presented with stage IV disease, having synchronous breast and axillary lymph node metastases; the other 2 patients developed them at 11 and 16 months after presentation. Four patients had multiple breast lesions and 8 patients had a single metastasis. In 4 cases, the breast metastases were initially interpreted as infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The remaining 6 patients had axillary lymph node involvement only. The metastases in 17 of the cases had papillary features, with psammoma bodies present in 4. Immunoperoxidase studies for GCDFP-15 and WT-1 were performed in 4 cases; all 4 were positive for WT-1 and negative for GCDFP-15. Follow-up was available for 17 patients, with 7 patients known to be dead from disease (survival range, 2-31 months) after the development of metastatic disease to the breast or axillary lymph nodes. Ten patients were alive with disease at their last follow-up, which ranged from 1 to 30 months after the breast or axillary LN metastasis developed. Metastases to the breast or axillary lymph nodes from ovarian and/or peritoneal serous carcinomas are uncommon. Most of the patients in whom metastatic disease develops have a known history of advanced stage ovarian or peritoneal carcinoma. Breast and/or axillary LN involvement at initial presentation can occur but is rare. Differentiation between metastatic and primary tumors of the breast is of great importance because treatment and prognosis differ significantly. Clinical history, the presence of papillary architecture, and WT-1 expression are useful in establishing the correct diagnosis.     

Breast Cancer: Presentation and Intervention in Women With Gastrointestinal Metastasis and Carcinomatosis

Background Breast cancer metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract or peritoneum is rare. We reviewed the natural history of ductal and lobular carcinoma in women with breast cancer metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract, peritoneum, or both. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients (1985–2000) with a pathologic diagnosis of breast cancer metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract or peritoneum. Patients were categorized into three groups: those with gastrointestinal metastasis, carcinomatosis, or both. Results Of 73 patients, 23 (32%) had gastrointestinal metastasis only, 32 (44%) had carcinomatosis only, and 18 (25%) had both. The median age at initial breast cancer diagnosis was 55 years. The mean interval between the primary diagnosis and metastatic presentation was 7 years. Sites of gastrointestinal metastases included the esophagus (8%), stomach (28%), small intestine (19%), and colon and rectum (45%). Infiltrating lobular carcinoma represented 34 (64%) of the 53 gastrointestinal metastases. The median overall survival after diagnosis was 28 months. Palliative surgical intervention in 47 patients (64%) did not affect overall survival. Some survival benefit may have accrued to select patients with gastrointestinal metastasis who underwent surgical palliation (44 vs. 9 months). Advanced age at diagnosis and gastric metastases had a negative effect on survival, whereas treatment with systemic chemotherapy or tamoxifen had a positive effect on survival. Conclusions Gastrointestinal metastasis occurred more often in patients with invasive lobular carcinoma. Surgical intervention did not significantly extend overall survival but may be considered in a select group of patients.     

Metachronous Multiple Primary Malignant Neoplasms of the Stomach and the Breast: Report of Two Cases With Review of Literature

Multiple primary malignant neoplasm is the occurrence of a second primary malignancy in the same patient within 6 months of the detection of first primary (synchronous), or 6 months or more after primary detection (metachronous). Multiple primary malignant neoplasms are not very frequently encountered in clinical practice. The relative risk for a second primary malignancy increases by 1.111-fold every month from the detection of the first primary malignancy in any individual. We present 2 patients treated for carcinoma of the breast who developed a metachronous primary malignancy in the stomach to highlight the rare occurrence of multiple primary malignant neoplasms. These tumors were histologically dissimilar, with distinct immunohistochemical parameters. The importance lies in carefully identifying the second primary malignancies, not dismissing them as metastases, and treating them accordingly.Key words: Breast neoplasms, Stomach neoplasms, Neoplasms, Second primaryBreast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. With proper screening, earlier detection, and improved treatment, survival has greatly increased, with the result that there is now a large population of women with a present or past history of breast cancer. This has led to an increased detection of second primary malignancies among these women. The relative risk for a second primary malignancy increases by 1.111-fold every month from the detection of the first primary malignancy in any individual.¹ Several authors have reported on a lesion in the stomach being labeled as a second primary malignancy and subsequently found to be metastasis. When the primary breast tumor is positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PRs) and the stomach tumor is ER/PR negative, the diagnosis is established easily.² However, studies have shown that some primary gastric cancers can have ER/PR positivity. Further, if the primary breast lesion is ER/PR negative, the same cannot be used as a marker. Here, we present 2 breast cancer patients who developed second primary malignancies in the stomach and the final diagnosis was established based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry.     

Synchronous gastric and colonic metastases of invasive lobular breast carcinoma: case report and review of the literature

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the main cause of cancer death in the UK. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract metastasis and carcinomatosis from primary breast cancer are rare but breast cancer is the second most common primary malignancy to metastasise to the GI tract after malignant melanoma. The metastatic patterns of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) have been shown to differ considerably. Liver, lung and brain metastases are more common in IDC. Most series report a greater prediliction for lobular carcinoma to metastasise to the GI tract, gynaecological organs or peritoneum. The presentation of GI metastasis due to breast cancer is typically vague and the clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histopathologic findings are often difficult to distinguish from primary gastric carcinoma. Such a patient is more likely to present to a luminal surgeon or gastroenterologist than a breast surgeon. Therefore a high index of clinical suspicion with early endoscopy in those with non-specific symptoms and a past history of breast cancer, particularly ILC, are recommended. It is imperative to differentiate between metastatic breast cancer and primary gastric carcinoma as treatment strategies differ hugely. Therefore, correlation of endoscopic biopsy histology with the primary breast cancer histology is essential. Treatment modalities are limited to appropriate systemic therapy, which may have a palliative effect in up to 50%. Surgical intervention is nearly always limited to palliative bypass only. Prognosis is consistent with the median survival of all women with metastatic disease secondary to breast cancer.     

Clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of metastatic tumors in the stomach

The metastasis of tumors to the stomach is rare, which underlies the clinical problems regarding their diagnosis and treatment. The present review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the clinicopathological characteristics, therapeutic strategies and outcomes for metastatic tumors in the stomach. The primary malignancies of the metastatic tumors in the stomach were most often breast cancers (27.9 %), followed by lung cancer (23.8 %), esophageal cancer (19.1 %), renal cell carcinoma (RCC; 7.6 %) and malignant melanoma (7.0 %). In cases of breast cancer and RCC as the primary malignancy, the median interval between the treatment of the primary tumor and diagnosis of the metastatic tumor in the stomach (IPM) was 50–78 and 75.6 months, respectively, highlighting the fact that the metastatic spread to the stomach may occur many years after the initial treatment of the cancer. In nine patients with metastatic gastric tumors arising from ovarian cancer, an endoscopic examination revealed submucosal tumors in six patients (66.7 %), with a median IPM of 30 months. Appropriate systemic treatment for these tumors is the preferred therapeutic strategy. Although solitary metachronous gastric metastasis several years after treatment of the primary tumor is an exceptionally rare event, surgical resection of metastatic gastric tumors may be recommended to control hemorrhaging or for selected tumors.     

The use of state-of-the-art mammography in the detection of nonpalpable breast carcinoma

Between November 4, 1984, and September 1, 1988, a total of 16,439 patients were evaluated at the Comprehensive Breast Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) of Miami Beach with clinical examination, state-of-the-art mammography, and, when indicated, complimentary ultrasound mammography. As a result of this, 547 patients had open surgical biopsy, 207 carcinomas were detected in 207 patients, 183 carcinomas (80% of total malignancies) were clinically occult and detected only with breast imaging. Since 207 malignancies were found out of 547 areas examined, our rate was 1 carcinoma in every 2.6 biopsies. One hundred seventy-nine malignant lesions had preoperative needle localization and specimen radiography. Eighty-seven (47%) clinically occult carcinomas were identified because of microcalcifications by mammography alone. Two hundred twenty-six (98%) of the carcinomas were called malignant or suspicious for malignancy with only three (2.4%) false negatives. Twenty-two (10%) patients had axillary lymph-node metastasis. While recent large series report a 15 to 30 per cent rate of carcinoma for nonpalpable, mammographically detected breast biopsy specimens, it is our experience at MSMC with the use of physical exam and mammography, complemented by ultrasound when indicated, that rates of detection of carcinoma are more significantly improved than what the recent literature suggests; therefore, our approach to achieve this better detection will be discussed.     

Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology of Metastatic Malignancies and Lymphomas Involving the Breast

Abstract: The fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) findings in 13 cases of metastatic malignancies and lymphomas involving the breast are reported. The pre-FNAC clinical diagnoses in 6 of these cases were benign breast lesions, while in 3 cases the clinical differential diagnosis was either a benign or malignant primary breast lesion versus a metastatic malignancy. In 1 of the 13 cases the pre-FNAC diagnosis was uncertain and suggested a breast carcinoma versus a lymphoma, while in 3 cases the clinical impression was of a primary carcinoma of the breast. The type of neoplasms that were diagnosed by FNAC included 7 non-Hodgkins lymphomas, 3 malignant melanomas, an adenocarci-noma of the ovary, and one each of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and cervix. In all 13 cases the unusual cytologic patterns of the tumors in the aspirates seen on the FNAC examination distinguished the lesion from that of primary breast carcinoma. A reliable FNAC diagnosis of mammary malignancies other than a primary carcinoma is important not only to avoid an unnecessary mastectomy but also to adopt a correct management utilizing an appropriate therapeutic intervention.     

Breast metastases from colorectal carcinoma

A case history is presented of a 53-year-old woman with an incidental finding of a breast lump, identified after having had chemotherapy for lung metastases from a rectal carcinoma. Clinical examination, ultrasound, mammography, fine needle aspiration and core biopsies could not prove definitively whether the breast lump represented a metastasis from colorectal carcinoma. Following local excision, the final diagnosis of metastatic colorectal carcinoma to the breast was based on the absence of any site of origin within the breast (i.e. no surrounding DCIS) and on the expression of cytokeratin CK7 and CK20 on immunohistochemistry. Postoperative chemotherapy was initiated. Four months later, although without local recurrence in the breast, the patient developed cutaneous metastatic deposits and active treatment was stopped. A review of other cases of breast metastases from extramammary sources is presented. Possible mechanisms for this rare and unusual phenomenon are discussed.     

Gelatinase A, Membrane Type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase, and Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer mRNA Expression: Correlation with Invasive Growth of Breast Cancer

Invasive breast cancer varies widely in biologic aggressiveness, from fairly indolent tumors to rapidly disseminating carcinomas. Matrix metalloproteinases have enzymatic activity and assist in tumor invasion by degrading basement membranes and extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer EMMPRIN is thought to stimulate fibroblasts to produce the zymogen pro-gelatinase A. The membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is thought to assist in tumor invasion and metastasis by activating pro-gelatinase A, which shows enhanced expression in various tumors. Overexpression of gelatinase A has shown to correlate with a malignant phenotype in many tumor forms. The aim of the study was to investigate the mRNA expression pattern of MT1-MMP, gelatinase A, and EMMPRIN in breast tumors. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast tissue samples from 18 patients operated on with breast-conserving surgery for invasive breast carcinoma <20 mm between 1977 and 1985 were analyzed using the mRNA in situ hybridization technique. Most of the patients were node-negative (15/18) and underwent postoperative irradiation to the breast (16/18). The median age at diagnosis was 52 years (21–83 years). At the time of the study 11 patients were alive, 4 without recurrence; 7 patients had been operated for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences, and 2 had distant metastases. The median follow-up was 112 months (102–193 months). Seven patients died of disseminated breast cancer; their median follow-up was 43 months (22–116 months). ³⁵S-labeled antisense and sense mRNA probes transcribed from linearized plasmids containing cDNA for the matrix metalloproteinases gelatinase A and MT1-MMP and the glycoprotein EMMPRIN were hybridized to 5 μm paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Several invasive carcinomas were surrounded by normal tissue and carcinoma in situ lesions. Gelatinase A, MT1-MMP, and EMMPRIN mRNA expression were detected in all of the carcinomas. The gelatinase A mRNA expression was mainly localized to stromal cells at moderate to high levels surrounding the invading carcinoma cells but was also seen in single cells at low levels in in situ lesions and in some normal glandular cells. MT1-MMP and EMMPRIN were expressed in all of the carcinomas and were mainly localized to tumor cells; but they were also seen to some extent in single cells at low levels in in situ lesions and in normal glandular cells. No differences in levels of expression for gelatinase A, MT1-MMP, or EMMPRIN were seen in patients who survived compared to patients who died from metastatic disease. The co-expression of gelatinase A, MT1-MMP, and EMMPRIN mRNA in invasive breast carcinoma supports the theory that these proteins interact and are important for the invasive phenotype in breast carcinoma. Hence EMMPRIN may be a central factor for stimulation of gelatinase A activation. Specific inhibitors for individual MMP members could in the future be target-specific events in breast tumor progression. Inhibition of EMMPRIN could be such a target.     

Esophagogastric Cancers Secondary to a Breast Primary Tumor Do Not Require Resection

Background Breast cancer metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is rare. When it does occur, the upper GIT is more frequently involved, and lobular infiltrating carcinoma apparently has a greater apparent predilection for the GIT than the ductal type does. This study reviewed the clinicopathological features of esophagogastric secondary tumors from breast cancer. Patients and Methods Patients with breast cancer metastases to the upper GIT referred to us for treatment of either esophageal or gastric cancers between November 1997 and November 2004 were identified from our database. The medical records of these patients were then reviewed for clinicopathological data and outcome. Results Nine patients with mean age of 71 (range: 57–90) years had median time of 6.5 (2.8–32.8) years between primary breast cancer diagnosis and upper GI metastasis. The sites of metastatic lesions included the lower esophagus (2 patients), gastroesophageal junction (1 patient), gastric body (3 patients), and pylorus (3 patients). Histological typing indicated 7 cases of the lobular form and 2 cases of ductal carcinoma. All but one biopsy specimen were estrogen receptor and CK7 positive. Treatment included hormonal therapy and stent in 3 patients, hormonal therapy alone in 1 patient, chemotherapy alone in 1 patient, chemotherapy and gastrojejunostomy in 1 patient, dilatation and stent in 1 patient, and palliative care only in 2 patients. The median survival following treatment of these metastases was 20 (range: 2.1–96.6) months. Conclusions The onset of nonspecific GIT symptoms in patients with a history of breast carcinoma should prompt the clinician to rule out the possibility of upper GIT metastasis even many years after the original breast cancer. The use of systemic therapy for breast cancer may result in longer survival.     

A typical case of a widespread metastatic breast carcinoma

Cutaneous metastasis is an uncommon manifestation of visceral malignancy. Among all malignancies, the highest incidence of cutaneous metastasis is seen in breast cancer. Cutaneous metastasis can be the initial presentation of breast carcinoma. However, it usually presents a few months or years after the primary disease has been diagnosed and treated. Cutaneous metastases develop most commonly at the same time as internal metastases.^3,8 The incidence of cutaneous metastases for all types of carcinomas ranges from 0.7% to 10.0%.^3,5 A more recent meta-analysis demonstrated the overall incidence to be closer to 5.3%.^4,5 We present herein a case of carcinoma breast in a 55-year-old female presenting initially with skin lesions on the chest wall. Further evaluation identified a bilateral breast mass with axillary metastasis and multiple nodules over the trunk and right thigh. There was also evidence of metastasis to the lungs, bilateral adrenals and mesenteric lymph nodes. FNAC of all the nodules revealed infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast which was confirmed by excision biopsy.     

Carcinoma of prostate metastatic to breast

Clinically diagnosed breast metastasis from prostatic carcinoma is rare. Primary breast carcinoma in patients with prostatic primary is also uncommon. Four patients who presented with breast malignancies in the course of their prostatic carcinoma are described. All but one of them had diffuse metastatic disease. Three of them were on estrogens at the time breast malignancy was diagnosed. Difficulties always arise in differentiating primary lesions from metastasis clinically and histopathologically. The development of histochemical methods for acid phosphatase, and the newest indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique, used in one of our patients, helped in making the differentiation between primary lesion and metastatic disease. Diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma metastatic to breast carries a poor prognosis, and may be an indication for aggressive therapy.     

甲状腺转移癌35例的临床特点及诊治分析

目的 探讨甲状腺转移癌的临床特点、诊断、治疗方式及预后.方法 回顾性分析1958至2010年收治的35例甲状腺转移癌患者的临床资料,均经细胞学或组织学病理确诊.结果 35例患者中,除了3例原发肿瘤不明外,其余原发肿瘤依次为肺癌16例、食管癌9例、乳腺癌2例、肾癌2例、下咽癌1例、鼻咽癌1例、软腭腺样囊性癌1例.其中12例以甲状腺转移癌为首发症状,其余23例从诊断原发肿瘤到发现甲状腺转移癌,时间间隔为0～168个月,中位时间为24个月,其中有6例时间间隔＞3年.所有患者均经病理学证实,其中细针吸取细胞学诊断7例,手术标本组织病理学诊断24例,两种手段结合使用诊断4例.发现甲状腺转移癌后,全部患者的中位生存期为11.5个月,1、3、5年生存率分别为43.8%、27.8%和11.9%.有28例患者接受手术治疗,7例接受非手术治疗,手术组整体生存率明显高于非手术组(P＜0.01).在合并颈淋巴结转移患者中,接受甲状腺切除合并颈清扫组的中位生存期与接受单纯甲状腺切除组相比差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 甲状腺转移癌临床少见,细针吸取细胞学可以有效的诊断甲状腺转移癌.甲状腺转移癌是恶性肿瘤的晚期表现,预后较差.     

Primary and secondary hepatic manifestation of neuroendocrine tumors

BACKGROUND: In comparison with most other malignancies, in the treatment of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors one also has to consider endocrine symptoms and natural progression of disease. Since hepatic metastasis predominates and endocrine symptoms correlate with functional tumor mass, hepatic resection may improve prognosis or even cure patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed 41 consecutive patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors and four patients with primary hepatic disease presenting between 1989 and 1999. The neuroendocrine tumors were classified according to their origin, pattern of metastasis, endocrine activity, and histology. Operative therapy including hepatic resections of different extent, liver transplantation, and removal of the primary tumor was analyzed. The median survival after initial diagnosis and after hepatic resection were major parameters of outcome. RESULTS: There were 26 low-grade malignant, 12 high-grade malignant, 2 biphasically differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas, and 5 pancreatic endocrine tumors. Hepatic resections were performed in 25 patients, resections of the primary tumor in 40 patients. The median survival after initial diagnosis was 49 months; 50.5 months in patients with hepatic resection versus 47 months in those with no liver surgery. CONCLUSION: Hepatic resection improved the outcome of patients with liver metastasis due to neuroendocrine tumors tendentiously but not significantly.     

Angiosarcoma involving the gastrointestinal tract: a series of primary and metastatic cases

Angiosarcoma occurs very rarely in the intestinal tract as either a primary or metastatic malignancy and can present great diagnostic difficulty, especially when it displays epithelioid cytomorphology. Since only isolated case reports have been published, the purpose of this study is to more fully delineate the histopathological and clinical features from a series of 8 angiosarcomas involving the gastrointestinal tract. There were 5 male and 3 female patients whose ages ranged from 25-85 years (median 57). Presenting symptoms included intestinal bleeding, anemia and pain. Five cases involved the small bowel and 3 involved the colon/rectum. Four cases were primary to the intestinal tract, 2 patients initially presented with secondary involvement of the large bowel from occult retroperitoneal primaries, 1 patient presented with disseminated disease including small bowel involvement, and 1 case was metastatic from a breast primary. Seven cases were composed predominantly of sheets of malignant appearing epithelioid cells with subtle areas forming cleft-like spaces suggestive of vascular differentiation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the lesional cells to be immunoreactive for CD31 (8/8), CD34 (8/8), Factor VIII (8/8), cytokeratins AE1/AE3 (7/8), cytokeratin 7 (2/8), Cam5.2/cytokeratin 8 (5/8), and cytokeratin 19 (5/8). Cytokeratin 20 was negative in all eight cases, which contrasts sharply with the characteristic positivity for cytokeratin 20 in virtually all intestinal carcinomas. One case was weakly and focally positive for EMA and all cases were negative for S-100 protein. Cytokeratin staining was variable and ranged from focal to extensive. Follow-up was available in eight cases and ranged from 1-33 months (median 12.5). Five patients died of disease, between 1 and 33 months (median 6) after diagnosis. One recently diagnosed patient is alive with disease 18 months after diagnosis, and one patient is free of disease 27 months after original diagnosis. Angiosarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract commonly display epithelioid cytomorphology, may be diffusely and strongly positive for cytokeratins and only show subtle signs of vascular differentiation, creating potential diagnostic confusion with primary or metastatic carcinoma. Given the clinically aggressive behavior of angiosarcoma, proper classification and treatment is important. Immunohistochemistry with vascular markers, CK20, and S-100 protein may be helpful in differentiating angiosarcoma from carcinoma and melanoma.     

Thyroid carcinoma presenting in childhood or after treatment of childhood malignancies: An institutional experience and review of the literature

Background/Purpose:

Thyroid carcinomas can occur as a primary malignancy (PTM) or secondary after another malignancy (STM). Information about the presentations and outcomes of patients with STM are limited. The authors sought to compare the clinical characteristics, course, and outcomes of patients with primary or secondary thyroid malignancies.

Methods:

The authors reviewed the medical records of 8 children with PTM and 17 children with STM referred to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital between February 1962 and February 2002 for evaluation and treatment of malignant thyroid carcinoma.

Results:

The 8 children who had primary thyroid carcinoma had it diagnosed at a median age of 12.5 years (range, 7.3 to 16.3 years). Seven patients had papillary carcinoma, and 1 patient had follicular carcinoma. Three of the 8 (37.5%) had metastatic disease involving regional lymph nodes; 2 patients (25.0%) had lung metastases. Six patients required radioactive iodine (I 131) ablation for residual or metastatic disease after surgical resection. All 8 patients remain alive a median of 22.6 years after diagnosis (range, 0.7 to 30.5 years); 1 continues to receive radioactive iodine (I 131) ablation for persistent disease. Seventeen patients had thyroid carcinoma as a second malignant neoplasm after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 6), Hodgkin’s disease (n = 5), central nervous system tumor (n = 2), Wilms’ tumor (n = 1), retinoblastoma (n = 1), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (n = 1), or neuroblastoma (n = 1). Patients with secondary thyroid carcinoma presented at a median age of 21.5 years (range, 15.3 to 42.6 years), a median of 16.2 years (range, 0.9 to 29.2 years) after diagnosis of the primary cancer. Twelve of the 17 patients (70.6%) had received radiation to the thyroid gland during therapy for the primary cancer. Four patients (23.5%) had metastatic disease involving regional lymph nodes. Six patients (35.3%) required I¹³¹ ablation for residual or metastatic disease after thyroidectomy. At the time of this report, all 17 patients are alive and in continue to be free of disease.

Conclusions:

Pediatric thyroid carcinoma is uncommon and responds well to current therapy. Given the limited period of follow-up of our cohort of secondary malignant thyroid tumors that arise after childhood cancer, these lesions appear to have similar presentations and outcomes when compared with primary carcinomas and can therefore be managed in the same manner.     

Metastatic disease in the breast

Breast cancer is the commonest malignancy in women. However, metastatic involvement of the breast is relatively rare. Metastatic disease of the breast is therefore often an unexpected diagnosis in a female patient presenting with a breast mass. The commonest cause is spread from a contralateral breast carcinoma. Of solid tumors at other sites, the most common cancers to metastasize to the breast are, in declining order of frequency, malignant melanoma, lymphoma, lung cancer, ovarian carcinoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tumors. Besides these, metastases from osteosarcoma, thyroid neoplasms, and cervical, vaginal and endometrial carcinomas to the breast have been sporadically reported in the literature. A clinical presentation with pain, tenderness and discharge is distinctly unusual. A solitary lesion is the most common clinical presentation. Lesions that metastasize to the breast may produce changes that look similar to those of primary breast cancer on mammography, but they are more likely to be multiple, are frequently bilateral, and form a nidus of tumor cells that are usually round with fairly well-defined margins. Microcalcifications are not a distinguishing feature, and although their margins may be ill defined, spiculations are not commonly found. Diagnosis is generally achieved by means of fine-needle aspiration cytology or open biopsy of the breast masses. In recent reports, particular importance has been attached to the performance of fine-needle aspiration cytology diagnosis, to differentiate a metastasis from a second primary tumor, thus making it possible to avoid unnecessary mastectomy and ensure that appropriate chemotherapy and radiotherapy are implemented.     

Metastatic Tumors to the Nail Unit: Subungual Metastases

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous metastases are variable in location and morphology. Metastatic tumor can present as a subungual lesion in either an oncology patient or a previously cancer-free individual. However, the diagnosis of a subungual metastasis is often not initially considered since the symptoms and appearance of the subungual tumor frequently mimic those of other conditions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics, radiographic changes, and pathologic findings of the subungual metastases in two women with metastatic carcinoma and to discuss the features of metastatic tumor lesions to the subungual area and distal digits previously reported in oncology patients. METHODS: The clinical presentation, radiologic studies, and pathologic examination of metastatic subungual tumor lesions were described in two oncology patients: a woman with breast cancer and a woman with renal cell carcinoma. The published reports of cancer patients with subungual metastases were reviewed and the following variables were evaluated: the primary origin of the cancer, the histology of the primary tumor, the temporal relationship between the onset of symptoms or the appearance of subungual metastasis and the diagnosis of the visceral malignancy, the symptoms and the morphology of the subungual metastases, the clinical differential diagnosis of subungual metastases, the relationship between the site of origin of the primary tumor and the incidence of metastases either to the fingers and the thumbs or to the toes, the distribution of subungual metastases, the incidence of radiologically confirmable bony involvement of the distal phalanx by metastatic tumor in the digit containing the subungual metastasis, and the prognosis of patients in whom the diagnosis of a subungual metastasis has been confirmed. RESULTS: Subungual metastases most frequently occur in patients with primary tumors of the lung (41%), genitourinary tract organs (17%, of which the kidney represents 11%), and breast (9%). The histology of the primary tumors that was most common included renal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The appearance of the subungual tumor was the first sign of a previously unsuspected primary malignancy in 44% of the patients with subungual metastases. Subungual metastases were frequently painful and most often presented as either an erythematous enlargement or swelling of the distal digit or a red to violacious nodule that distorted either the nail plate or the soft tissue of the distal digit, or both. The lesion was often initially mistaken as an acute infection. The lesion involved one or more digits of the hands in 92% of patients with subungual metastases; symmetrical subungual metastases and metastatic tumor restricted only to the great toes were less commonly observed. In patients with subungual metastases that involved the digits of their hands, the most frequent sites of primary tumor origin were the lung (35%) and the genitourinary tract organs (25%). Radiologic evidence of bony involvement of the respective distal digit was either initially present or subsequently developed in 92% of patients with subungual metastases. Patients with subungual metastases have a poor prognosis; their survival following the diagnosis of the subungual tumor is usually only a few months. CONCLUSION: The clinical differential diagnosis of a new periungual or subungual lesion (with or without an associated nail plate dystrophy) should include tumor metastasis to the nail unit not only in oncology patients, but also in previously cancer-free individuals.     

阴茎转移癌18例临床分析

目的探讨阴茎转移癌的临床特点、诊治方法及预后。方法回顾性分析18例阴茎转移癌患者的临床及随访资料并复习相关文献。18例患者原发肿瘤包括膀胱癌8例,前列腺癌4例,直肠癌2例,结肠癌、肾癌、食管癌和肺癌各1例。其中9例患者接受了阴茎切除+静脉化疗,5例患者仅接受静脉化疗未行阴茎切除术,2例患者仅接受了阴茎局部放疗,1例肾癌患者仅接受了索拉菲尼靶向治疗。结果本组18例患者中,从确诊原发肿瘤至出现阴茎转移时间为1~100月,平均(18.7±1.9)月。从确诊阴茎转移至患者死亡时间为4~23月,平均(10.2±1.7)月。所有18例患者均死于出现阴茎转移2年内。结论阴茎转移癌是一种罕见且预后较差的疾病,即使进行治疗,多数患者仍死于确诊阴茎转移1年内。逆行性静脉途经是发生阴茎转移的主要机制。阴茎切除仅限于缓解局部症状而不应常规应用。     

Ileal metastasis of breast cancer in a patient with a BRCA2 gene mutation: Report of a case

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females. Common sites of metastases include the liver, lung, bone, and brain, while metastases to the extrahepatic digestive system are very rare. This report presents a patient diagnosed with breast carcinoma metastasis in the terminal ileum. The patient underwent breast-conserving surgery on both breasts because of breast cancer at the age of 46 years. Both breast cancers were consistent with stage I invasive ductal carcinomas. Colonoscopy during an investigation for hematochezia revealed a 2-cm ulceration in the terminal ileum 22 months later, and microscopic examination of a biopsy specimen of the ulceration revealed a poorly differentiated mass that was strongly suggestive of metastatic adenocarcinoma with endolymphatic tumor emboli. She underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic ileocecectomy because of ileal metastasis. She had a family history of breast cancer (sister) and colon cancer (brother). She exhibited HER2/neu discordance and carried the BRCA2 gene mutation. Surgeons should remain aware that breast cancer can metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract.