A case report of a matrix-producing carcinoma

Abstract

A 35-year-old female presented with a palpable mass, 1.9 cm in diameter, located in the inner upper quadrant of the left breast. Mammography showed an indistinct mass. On ultrasound, an irregular-shaped, hypo-echoic lesion was noted. MRI showed a high intensity tumor with peripheral enhancement. The tumor was diagnosed as an invasive ductal carcinoma, possibly a scirrhous carcinoma based on pathology of a needle core biopsy. The patient had breast-conserving surgery with a sentinel lymph node biopsy. The specimen contained a solid, yellowish-brown tumor. On histopathology, the tumor was found to be composed of overt carcinoma, a direct transition to a cartilaginous matrix without an intervening spindle cell zone or osteoclastic cells was noted. Matrix -producing carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of metaplastic carcinoma. We report a Japanese MPC case and review other Japanese MPC cases.