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Case Reports
. 2011 May 12:2011:bcr0120113683.
doi: 10.1136/bcr.01.2011.3683.

Rectal metastasis from breast cancer: an interval of 17 years

Aliasger A Amin  1 , Anil Reddy, Madan Jha, Kolanu Prasad
Affiliations
Case Reports

Rectal metastasis from breast cancer: an interval of 17 years

Aliasger A Amin et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Metastasis to gastrointestinal (GI) tract from breast cancer is rare. Commonly affected organ in GI tract is stomach, followed by colon and then rectum. The authors report a case of a 61-year-old woman who had a mastectomy for lobular carcinoma of the breast 17 years ago and was referred to colorectal clinic with increased frequency of stools. Colonoscopy showed a stricture in the rectum, but biopsy was inconclusive. As she was symptomatic, she had a Hartmann's resection 5 months after she initially presented to the clinic. Histopathology of the resected specimen showed it to be metastasis from lobular carcinoma of the breast. Awareness of potential long delays in the presentation of metastatic breast cancer especially lobular carcinoma helps in the earlier diagnosis and clinical management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Histology slide showing normal rectal mucosa and breast cancer.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Histology image confirming it to be breast metastasis as oestrogen receptor positive.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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