Mucinous adenocarcinoma presenting as an isolated sternal metastasis

BACKGROUND As a result of improvements in diagnostic accuracy, the primary source of the tumour is identified in more than 99% of cases presenting with a malignancy. Whilst the axial skeleton is a common site of metastases, the sternum is rarely affected, especially by isolated metastases. CASE PRESENTATION We report a case of a 68 year old male who was referred to the surgical outpatient clinic with a six month history of sternal pain. The patient was known to have essential thrombocythaemia, which had recently transformed into acute myeloid leukaemia but a sternal biospy showed mucinous adenocarcinoma. He had not localising symptoms and full evaluation failed to localise the primary tumour. CONCLUSION Solitary sternal metastases are rare and when found an underlying neoplasm is usually identified allowing targeted treatment. If however, there is no symptomatic tumour, the metastasis should simply be treated symptomatically.