Low-grade adenosquamous carcinoma of the breast developing around a localization wire fragment

We present the case of a 67-year-old white woman with a history of benign biopsy results in the previous 10 years before she developed low-grade adenosquamous carcinoma around a residual localization wire fragment. A possible theory of carcinogenesis may be related to reparative epithelium in a healing biopsy site that underwent squamous metaplasia; alternately, there may have been carcinogenesis related to longterm metal exposure at the wire placement site. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated a link between carcinogenesis and long-term exposure to various metals. This case report raises important questions regarding carcinogenesis in the setting of long-term metal exposure and the reparative response of the body at the site of injury or biopsy.