Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast metastatic to the kidney. A clinically symptomatic lesion requiring surgical management

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is a rare histologic type of breast cancer associated with a good prognosis. A woman who earlier had a pulmonary metastasis surgically resected 6 years postmastectomy developed clinically symptomatic bleeding from a renal metastasis 12 years postmastectomy. An atypical angiographic picture (moderate vascularization) for secondary renal neoplasms was observed. The characteristic histologic features of ACC were present in all specimens; ultrastructural characteristics of ACC were identified in the renal lesion. Successful surgical management of these metachronous solitary metastases demonstrates the therapeutic utility of aggressive management in maintaining disease control of this histologic type of breast cancer.