title: A rare case of primary rectal adenocarcinoma metastatic to the breast.
abstract: Primary rectal adenocarcinoma metastatic to the breast is an exceedingly rare event. Its management differs from that of primary breast cancer, as illustrated by this case. A 63-year-old woman presented with a breast lump 30 months after abdominoperineal resection for rectal adenocarcinoma, stage T₃N₁M₀ (stage III), followed by standard postoperative radiochemotherapy. The patient underwent a mammography and ultrasonography. A CT scan of the abdomen showed metastatic disease. An excisional biopsy of the breast lump was performed; morphological features were identical to the original rectal cancer. Immunohistochemical results were negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors and gross cystic disease fluid protein-15, and intensity positive for cytokeratin 20 and carcinoembryonic antigen. The patient died after treatment with palliative chemotherapy. Metastatic disease from rectal carcinoma to the breast is a marker for disseminated metastatic spread with poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Polyclinic for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. shasukic@bih.net.ba
authors.forename: Sefik I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Hasukic
authors.forename: Ermina S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Iljazovic
authors.forename: Amer H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Odobasic
authors.forename: Ervin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Matovic
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed