Breast adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 19-year-old man: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is very rare in males. There have been only eight previous articles published on breast ACC in males. Here, we will report on the first case of this type of tumor in the Chinese province of Hainan. The patient was a 19-year-old male, and he underwent a radical mastectomy (RM) with axillary lymph node dissection. The histopathological examination specimen revealed that surgical margins were negative; none of the 41 axillary lymph nodes excised were positive for malignancy. The patient is alive and well 67 months after radical mastectomy. In the present study, we discuss the diagnosis and treatment options for male breast ACC based on previous English publications.

Figure 1

Ultrasonography, mammography, and histopathological examination of male breast adenoid cystic carcinoma. (A) Ultrasonography revealed an irregular, mixed echoic, partial compressible mass in the subareolar region. (B) Mammography (mediolateral oblique) revealed a spiculate hyperdense lesion. (C) Microscopic picture of male ACC stained by H&E stain (original magnification × 50) shows a predominant cribriform pattern and is composed of pseudocysts, filled with basophilic mucin, surrounded by basaloid cells. Neoplastic cells were arranged in cribriform and tubular.