Metastases to the breast

Aim: The aim of this study was to report the clinico-pathological features of a series of patients with metastatic neoplasms to the breast. Methods: A 10-year archive of surgical material was reviewed. A search was performed on all 10 650 breast neoplastic cases in the files of the Pathology Department from 1990 to 2000. Results: There were 22 women and two men. The most common primary sites for solid tumours were cutaneous melanoma and ovarian carcinoma. Two of the 24 patients had no prior history of malignant disease. There was a solitary nodule in 17 cases; in seven cases there were multiple lesions in the same breast. Sixteen patients had a rapidly fulminating course and died of disease. Six patients are alive with disease and two patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: Recognition of these lesions as being metastatic may pre-empt radical surgery.