Biphasic metaplastic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the breast: report of a case

Abstract

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the complaint of a right breast mass. As a result of thorough examinations, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent breast-conserving surgery. The pathological findings of the resected specimen showed that the tumor consisted of intermingled carcinomatous and sarcomatous components with a transition zone. On immunohistochemical study, the sarcomatous cells in this transition zone showed partial positive staining for CD10, the myoepithelial marker, suggesting that the myoepithelial cells had transformed into sarcoma, and then this biphasic tumor was formed. Finally, she was diagnosed with biphasic metaplastic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the breast. Biphasic metaplastic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the breast is a relatively rare but aggressive disease. The pathological diagnosis is often controversial, requiring detailed immunohistochemical analysis. We report our experience with a case of biphasic metaplastic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the breast.