Impending Doom: A Rare Case of Metastatic Myoepithelial Carcinoma

Cureus. 2022 Jun 9;14(6):e25785. doi: 10.7759/cureus.25785. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Myoepithelial carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor arising from myoepithelial cells. The usual sites of occurrence are the oral cavity and pharynx with the majority of tumors arising from the salivary gland. However, there have been reported cases of myoepithelial carcinoma seen in the superficial soft tissue, upper respiratory tract, breast, skin, and GI tract. Deep soft tissue myoepithelial carcinoma is relatively uncommon. Due to the rarity of this malignancy, consensus on appropriate therapy remains sparse. However, complete resection and/or adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been advocated for non-metastatic localized diseases. Sadly, the reported outcome in patients with metastatic disease remains dismal. In this case, we report a 79-year-old male incidentally found to have a deep soft tissue mass in the sacral area with a coexistent left axillary lymphadenopathy with biopsy and immunohistochemistry confirmation of metastatic myoepithelial carcinoma. He had a rapid clinical deterioration with subsequent fatality.

Keywords: deep soft tissue mass; hematogenous spread; myoepithelial carcinoma; myxoid sarcoma; sacral mass.

Publication types

  • Case Reports