A Rare Site of Spread of a Common Cancer

Authors

Sameen Khalid, Division of Gastroenterology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA. skhalid@salud.unm.edu, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, MSC 10-5550, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USAFollow
Graziella Paniz, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Aamer Abbass, Division of Gastroenterology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Edgar Fischer, Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Gulshan Parasher, Division of Gastroenterology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Denis McCarthy, Division of Gastroenterology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2019

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy affecting women worldwide with estimated 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women in the USA in 2017. It is the second most prevalent cause of cancer-related death after lung cancer in females with an expected annual mortality rate of 16% [1]. Promotion of public awareness, screening programs, early diagnosis, intensive local treat- ment, and changes in chemotherapy regimens with endo- crine and targeted therapy account for a notable decrease in mortality. Nevertheless, these measures do not seem to have impacted the prognosis in patients with distant metastasis. Breast cancer has a predilection for metastases to the bones, liver, brain, and lungs; it very rarely metastasizes to the gastrointestinal tract [2, 3]. The reported incidence rates of gastrointestinal metastasis of breast cancer cases vary from 2 to 18% [4]. Lobular carcinoma is the type most commonly associated with metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract, with ductal carcinoma less common.

Recommended Citation

Khalid S, Paniz G, Abbass A, Fischer E, Parasher G, McCarthy D. A Rare Site of Spread of a Common Cancer. Dig Dis Sci. 2019 Nov;64(11):3096-3099. doi: 10.1007/s10620-019-05898-8. PMID: 31628573.