Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Rearrangement-Positive Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma With Scattered Bilateral Breast Metastases: A Case Report

TL;DR

A 67-year-old woman was diagnosed with a rare lung cancer that had spread to both breasts.

Contribution

This case report highlights a rare presentation of ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma with bilateral breast metastases.

Findings

The lung mass was confirmed as ALK rearrangement-positive pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Breast nodules showed histological features and ALK rearrangement similar to the lung tumor.

The case represents a rare metastatic form of lung adenocarcinoma.

Abstract

A 67-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of chest X-ray abnormalities. Chest computed tomography revealed a lobulated lung mass in the right lower lobe and multiple scattered nodules in both breasts. The lung mass was diagnosed as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement-positive pulmonary adenocarcinoma through a transbronchial biopsy. Histological findings of bilateral needle biopsy of breast nodules were nearly identical to that of lung nodule, and fluorescence in situ hybridization showed ALK rearrangement. These results confirmed the diagnosis of ALK rearrangement-positive pulmonary adenocarcinoma with bilateral scattered breast metastases and its metastatic form of lung adenocarcinoma, which is rare.

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