Metastasis of lobular breast carcinoma to the uterus in a patient under anastrozole therapy.
BACKGROUND
Metastasis of extragenital neoplasms to the uterus are rarely encountered, and usually occur as a manifestation of advanced disease. Lobular carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer that metastasizes to the uterus.


METHODS
We report on a 56-year-old woman who 3 years previously was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast and was treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. While the patient was on adjuvant anastrozole therapy for 2 years, she complained of vaginal bleeding. Because of endometrial thickening and a uterine leiomyoma detected during abdominal ultrasonographic ex-amination, a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathologic examination of the specimens revealed carcinoma infiltration of the myometrium, endometrium, cervix, uterine tube, and left ovary. Immunohistochemical staining of tumoral cells with pancytokeratin and gross cystic disease fluid protein (GCDFP-15) proved the diagnosis of metastatic lobular breast carcinoma to the uterus.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the second case of lobular breast carcinoma metastasized to the uterus under anastrozole therapy. In women with lobular breast cancer under adjuvant anastrozole therapy, who present with vaginal bleeding, uterine metastasis of lobular carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Ustaalioglu
Basak B O
BB
Department of Medical Oncology, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Bilici
Ahmet
A
Seker
Mesut
M
Salman
Tarik
T
Gumus
Mahmut
M
Barisik
Nagehan O
NO
Salepci
Taflan
T
Yaylaci
Mustafa
M
D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole