Metastases to the breast from all other primary sites are unusual. Twelve female patients were diagnosed between 1971 and 1985 at S. Chiara Hospital – Trento. The majority of these metastases were from malignant melanoma (5) and ovarian cancer (3). In 1 case the lesion was the first sign of malignant disease (adenocarcinoma of the kidney). The development of a breast metastasis is revealed, in our experience, as a negative prognostic factor. Recognition of these lesions as being metastatic is useful in avoiding unnecessary radical operative procedures.

Thermography is useless for diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanomas (CMM). In fact, false negative thermograms (29.9%) are much more numerous than clinically suspicious cases. Thermography is useless for follow-up of CMM. False-negative and false-positive thermograms of metastatic lymph nodes, subcutaneous nodules and removal site of CMM are much too numerous.

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