{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,5]],"date-time":"2026-02-05T13:19:36Z","timestamp":1770297576010,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770163200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung is a rare salivary gland-type tumor with heterogeneous clinical behavior and the potential to mimic neoplasms arising in other organs. The purpose of this report is to describe an exceptionally uncommon presentation of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma manifesting as a breast metastasis in a male patient, a scenario that poses significant diagnostic challenges due to its rarity and its morphological resemblance to primary breast carcinoma. We evaluated the patient through clinical examination, cross-sectional imaging, endobronchial procedures, ultrasound-guided biopsy, immunohistochemistry, and molecular analysis, integrating these data to establish the diagnosis. Imaging revealed a primary lung mass and a second lesion in the left breast infiltrating the pectoralis muscle. Biopsy of the breast mass showed high-grade salivary gland-type mucoepidermoid carcinoma, clinically and radiologically suggestive of pulmonary origin. Because the lesion showed signs of impending ulceration, palliative surgical debulking was performed with good postoperative recovery. The patient subsequently began systemic therapy with gemcitabine. This case underscores the need for careful clinicopathologic correlation when evaluating atypical breast lesions and highlights the diagnostic value of molecular testing in distinguishing primary from metastatic salivary gland-type tumors. Recognizing such rare metastatic patterns is essential for appropriate therapeutic planning.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol33020094","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T09:02:01Z","timestamp":1770195721000},"page":"94","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Breast Metastasis from Pulmonary Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma in a Male Patient: A Case Report"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"33","author":[{"given":"Raquel","family":"Diaz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-3826-874X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Letizia","family":"Cuniolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rebecca","family":"Allievi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9159-7866","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ilaria","family":"Baldelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Division, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Murelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Cornacchia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Depaoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cecilia","family":"Margarino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Boccardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Gipponi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Simonetta","family":"Franchelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marianna","family":"Pesce","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giovanni","family":"Rossi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"U.O.C. Medical Oncology 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Abdallah","family":"Saad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Umberto","family":"Meliga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca Maria","family":"Scura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Santina","family":"Petroccelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gabriele","family":"Puglisi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emanuela","family":"Barisione","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interventional Pulmonology Unit, Division of Respiratory Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1279-5299","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Piero","family":"Fregatti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9742091","DOI":"10.1155\/2022\/9742091","article-title":"Pulmonary salivary gland tumor, mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A literature review","volume":"2022","author":"Hu","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1093\/jjco\/hyad160","article-title":"Current diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland-type tumors of the lung","volume":"54","author":"Horio","year":"2024","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1053\/j.semdp.2021.03.001","article-title":"Recent updates in salivary gland tumors of the lung","volume":"38","author":"Roden","year":"2021","journal-title":"Semin. Diagn. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1111\/his.15039","article-title":"Recent developments in the pathology of primary pulmonary salivary gland-type tumours","volume":"84","author":"Naso","year":"2024","journal-title":"Histopathology"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Huo, Z., Wu, H., Li, J., Li, S., Wu, S., Liu, Y., Luo, Y., Cao, J., Zeng, X., and Liang, Z. (2015). Primary pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma: Histopathological and molecular genetic studies of 26 cases. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0143169"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1093\/jjco\/hyad154","article-title":"Rare but clinically important salivary gland-type tumor of the lung: A review","volume":"54","author":"Takamori","year":"2024","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1053\/j.semdp.2003.09.001","article-title":"Salivary-type neoplasms of the breast and lung","volume":"20","author":"Bennett","year":"2003","journal-title":"Semin. Diagn. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1111\/his.13779","article-title":"CRTC1-MAML2 fusion in mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast","volume":"74","author":"Bean","year":"2019","journal-title":"Histopathology"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thierauf, J.C., Farahani, A.A., Indave, B.I., Bard, A.Z., White, V.A., Smith, C.R., Marble, H., Hyrcza, M.D., Chan, J.K.C., and Bishop, J. (2022). Diagnostic value of MAML2 rearrangements in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23084322"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"887","DOI":"10.1016\/j.humpath.2008.11.004","article-title":"Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast shares cytogenetic abnormality with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary gland: A case report with molecular analysis and review of the literature","volume":"40","author":"Habib","year":"2009","journal-title":"Hum. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"494","DOI":"10.1007\/s13193-019-00927-4","article-title":"Thoracoabdominal Flap: A Simple Flap for Covering Large Post-mastectomy Soft Tissue Defects in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer","volume":"10","author":"Mishra","year":"2019","journal-title":"Indian J. Surg. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/S0094-1298(20)32094-0","article-title":"Methods of soft tissue coverage for the mastectomy defect","volume":"6","author":"McCraw","year":"1979","journal-title":"Clin. Plast. Surg."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1097\/01.sap.0000215253.54577.28","article-title":"Extended cutaneous \u2018thoracoabdominal\u2019 flap for large chest wall reconstruction","volume":"57","author":"Persichetti","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ann. Plast. Surg."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e33707","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000033707","article-title":"Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast, 3 cases report and literature review","volume":"102","author":"He","year":"2023","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2630","DOI":"10.1002\/wjs.70077","article-title":"Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast: A systematic review of clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features","volume":"49","author":"Akbulut","year":"2025","journal-title":"World J. Surg."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e29745","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000029745","article-title":"Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast: A case report and literature review focused on radiological findings","volume":"101","author":"Bak","year":"2022","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, Q., Wei, X., Wang, Y., Liu, C., Fan, B., Lv, C., Si, W., and Li, M. (2022). Pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma in the Chinese population: A clinical characteristic and prognostic analysis. Front. Oncol., 12.","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2022.916906"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e9385","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000009385","article-title":"Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast: Four case reports and review of the literature","volume":"96","author":"Cheng","year":"2017","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7819-12-33","article-title":"Clinicopathological analysis of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma","volume":"12","author":"Shen","year":"2014","journal-title":"World J. Surg. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e37163","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000037163","article-title":"A high-grade breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma without MAML2 rearrangement: A case report and literature review","volume":"103","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hsieh, C.C., Sun, Y.H., Lin, S.W., Yeh, Y.C., and Chan, M.L. (2017). Surgical outcomes of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A review of 41 cases. PLoS ONE, 12.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0176918"}],"container-title":["Current Oncology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/33\/2\/94\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T09:28:31Z","timestamp":1770197311000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/33\/2\/94"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]},"references-count":21,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]}},"alternative-id":["curroncol33020094"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/curroncol33020094","relation":{},"ISSN":["1718-7729"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1718-7729","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]}}}