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Case Report Open Access

Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report

  • Authors:
    • Min Xie
    • Chao-Chan Chen
    • Xiang-Yu Su
    • Zeng-Xiang Xu
  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Department of Pathology, East China Normal University Affiliated Wuhu Hospital, Wuhu No. 2 People's Hospital, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, P.R. China, Graduate School, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui 233030, P.R. China, Department of Pathology, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, P.R. China
    Copyright: © Xie et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
  • Article Number: 529
    |
    Published online on: September 17, 2025
       https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2025.15275
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Abstract

The present study reports the case of a 43‑year‑old female patient who underwent surgical excision of a right breast mass. Gross examination revealed a cystic lesion. Histopathological examination demonstrated a solid cystic tumor with intraluminal papillary projections. The neoplasm was composed of mildly atypical intermediate, epidermoid, mucinous and eosinophilic cells, exhibiting cribriform glandular patterns, and microcystic structures containing mucinous or eosinophilic secretions. Peritumoral lymphoid hyperplasia was observed in adjacent mammary gland tissue. Immunohistochemical results showed that p63, cytokeratin (CK) 5/6 and CK7 exhibited zonal positive staining; GATA binding protein 3 was positive; S‑100 and SYN were negative; the estrogen receptor positive rate was 20%; progesterone receptor was negative; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 was 1+; and the Ki‑67 positive index was ~10%. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the mastermind like transcriptional coactivator 2 gene was rearranged. The pathological diagnosis was low‑grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the right breast. After diagnosis, the patient underwent a right breast‑conserving surgery, right axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy and right breast fascial glandular flap plasty. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered without endocrine therapy. Postoperative surveillance over 8 months showed no evidence of locoregional recurrence or distant metastasis.
View Figures

Figure 1

Images of clinical examinations. (A)
Mammogram showing an oval-shaped isodense shadow in the upper outer
quadrant of the right breast, measuring ~1.7 cm in diameter
(arrow). (B) Automated breast volume scanning showed a hypoechoic
mass at the 9 o'clock position of the right breast (~30 mm from the
nipple and 15 mm from the skin surface), which measured ~20×11 mm
(arrow). The mass exhibited well-defined borders, an irregular
shape with shallow lobulation at the margins and heterogeneous
internal echogenicity. MLO, mediolateral oblique; CC,
craniocaudal.

Figure 2

Pathological characteristics of breast
mucoepidermoid carcinoma. (A) The tumor was cystic, and the tumor
cells protruded into the cystic cavity to form a papillary
structure (arrow; H&E staining; magnification, ×100). (B) The
tumor cells were composed of alternating polygonal and mucoid
cells, and exhibited markedly small and visible nuclei. Nucleoli
was observed in polygonal cells, as well as eosinophilic cytoplasm
(arrow; H&E staining; magnification, ×200). (C) Ethmoid
glandular cavity or microcapsule structure could be observed
between the tumor cells, and there were eosinophilic secretions,
which may appear in the same cavity as blue-stained mucus (arrow;
H&E staining; magnification ×200). (D) Lymphoid tissue
hyperplasia could be observed in the breast tissue around the tumor
(arrow; H&E staining; magnification ×100). (E) Mucicarmine
staining showed positive staining of mucus both inside and outside
the tumor cells (arrow; H&E staining; magnification ×200).
Immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor cells exhibited
a regional positive staining pattern for (F) p63, (G) CK5/6 and (H)
CK7 (magnification, ×200). (I) The mastermind like transcriptional
coactivator 2 gene showed a disrupted rearrangement, according to
the results of fluorescence in situ hybridization detection.
H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; CK, cytokeratin.
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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Xie M, Chen C, Su X and Xu Z: Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report. Oncol Lett 30: 529, 2025.
APA
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., & Xu, Z. (2025). Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report. Oncology Letters, 30, 529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2025.15275
MLA
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., Xu, Z."Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report". Oncology Letters 30.5 (2025): 529.
Chicago
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., Xu, Z."Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report". Oncology Letters 30, no. 5 (2025): 529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2025.15275
Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Xie M, Chen C, Su X and Xu Z: Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report. Oncol Lett 30: 529, 2025.
APA
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., & Xu, Z. (2025). Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report. Oncology Letters, 30, 529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2025.15275
MLA
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., Xu, Z."Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report". Oncology Letters 30.5 (2025): 529.
Chicago
Xie, M., Chen, C., Su, X., Xu, Z."Breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report". Oncology Letters 30, no. 5 (2025): 529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2025.15275
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