The Challenge of Distinguishing Cylindroma of the Breast from Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of this Rare Tumor

Abstract

Background: Cylindroma of the breast is a rarely described tumor that closely resembles its dermal counterpart. Case presentation: We report a case of a 55-year-old woman with an incidental finding of a left breast mass on screening mammography. On histologic examination, the tumor was found to be consistent with cylindroma of the breast. Conclusion: Generally considered to be a benign lesion, cylindroma of the breast may be challenging to differentiate from morphologically similar tumors, such as solid type adenoid cystic carcinoma, and this uncertainty may lead to a dilemma in treatment options. These patients should be followed closely, as long-term outcome data is not available given the uncommon occurrence of these lesions within the breast.

Keywords

• breast cylindroma
• adenoid cystic carcinoma
• synchronous breast cancer