Tumor-to-tumor metastasis: a rare case of breast carcinoma metastasizing to a pheochromocytoma, and a literature review

Diagnostic Pathology

Zhuping Zhou¹  Weiwei Tan²  Yaoli Chen²  Lili Tao²  Weihua Yin² 

[1] 0000 0004 1799 0784, grid.412676.0, Department of Imaging, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China;grid.440601.7, Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China;

关键词: Tumor-to-tumor metastasis;    Breast carcinoma;    Pheochromocytoma;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13000-019-0816-2

来源: publisher

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundTumor-to-tumor metastasis is a well-recognized but uncommon entity. Breast carcinoma is one of the most common metastatic donors. Breast carcinoma metastasizes commonly to adrenal glands. However, the co-existence of a metastatic lesion with an existing adrenal tumor is a rare finding.Case presentationA 35-year-old woman was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma using computed tomography and ultrasound examinations. The tumor was surgically removed. Histological and immunohistochemical staining suggested that there were two components in the tumor: pheochromocytoma and metastatic cancer.ConclusionThis is the second published case of pheochromocytoma with tumor-to-tumor metastasis from an invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of awareness of tumor-to-tumor metastasis in pathological diagnosis.

【 授权许可】

CC BY