Direct endobronchial metastasis is a rare metastatic pattern in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Lungs represent a common site of metastases in breast cancer cases. Lung parenchyma, pleura, lymphatics, regional lymph nodes as well as trachea with bronchi are sites of metastatic involvement of the lungs in patients suffering from breast cancer. Endobronchial metastasis, especially of the direct type, is a very rare metastatic pattern in this type of cancer. We describe a case of endobronchial metastasis in a 59 years old Caucasian woman who had had a radical mastectomy 2 years before her present admission because of breast cancer. She was admitted to Joannina University hospital complaining of non-productive cough. Chest X-rays showed atelectasis of the right upper pulmonary lobe. Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy findings, cytologic examination of the bronchial excretions as well as the histological examination of the excised during bronchoscopy tumour specimen, strongly suggested a breast adenocarcinoma. Hereby, review data from the literature is given in brief.