Rare case of metaplastic breast cancer in a man

Abstract

Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) in men is an extremely rare entity. MBC is typically very aggressive with a poor prognosis. In men, it has only been reported three times in the literature. We report a 47-year-old man who presented with right-sided breast erythema and nipple inversion. Mammogram revealed a 2.4 cm spiculated mass. Initial pathology was inconclusive; however, right-sided simple mastectomy showed invasive metaplastic carcinoma with adenosquamous histology. He received adjuvant chemotherapy with 4 cycles of dose dense Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide followed by 12 weeks of paclitaxel and chest wall radiation. Although oestrogen receptor status was 1%, tamoxifen was not given due to recent diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Two years after treatment, he is currently living with no signs of recurrence. This case will serve as a useful addition to the current literature discussing successful diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of a man with MBC.