Breast metastasis of asymptomatic lung carcinoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

Tumors metastatic to the breast are very infrequent,1 much more so than in reported series, which range from 0.4% to 2%2,6 of all breast malignancies. Metastases to the breast can be the first manifestation of extramammary malignancy. This is an even more infrequent event (25% of patients who have tumors metastatic to the breast)6 and can cause great difficulty in reaching a correct diagnosis by fine needle aspiration (FNA). The role of FNA in the diagnosis of primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the breast has been documented.3 We report here a case of breast metastasis of an asymptomatic bronchogenic carcinoma that was detected on FNA. A 77-year-old female presented with a gradually progressive, painless lump in the right breast for six months. She also complained of a cough with expectoration on and off for the previous two years. She gave a history of smoking since the age of 14 but had quit two years earlier. Examination of the breast revealed a well-defined, mobile, firm lump measuring 2.5\ua52 cm on the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. The left breast and both nipples were normal, and there was no axillary lymph- adenopathy