Carcinoma male breast with tracheal and endobronchial metastasis, masquerading as nonsmall-cell lung cancer, presenting with superior vena cava obstruction - A rare case report

J Cancer Res Ther. 2022 Apr-Jun;18(3):831-833. doi: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_894_20.

Abstract

Cancer male breast is not very common. It comprises <1% of all breast cancers. Primary sites of metastasis are bone, brain, lung, and liver. Endobronchial and tracheal metastasis is very rare. To the best of our information, this is the first case of male breast carcinoma with upfront tracheal and endobronchial metastasis which presented as Superior vena cava obstruction (SVCO), initially evaluated on the lines of metastatic nonsmall-cell lung cancer. A 60-year-old gentleman presented with shortness of breath and features of SVCO. On primary evaluation, he was thought to be a case of nonsmall-cell lung cancer. Later on, it was confirmed to be carcinoma male breast with endobronchial and tracheal metastasis, which was reconfirmed with biopsy. The case we came across had symptoms associated with endobronchial metastases from primary extrapulmonary tumor and which was later found out to be breast. Treatment options are very different from lung primary and thus, we should be aware of the unusual disease presentation.

Keywords: Endobronchial metastasis; male breast cancer; tracheal metastasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms, Male* / complications
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male* / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma* / complications
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / complications
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / complications
  • Lung Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* / etiology
  • Vena Cava, Superior