The spectrum of gastrointestinal metastases of breast carcinoma: II. The colon and rectum

Gastrointest Endosc. 1992 Mar-Apr;38(2):136-41. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5107(92)70378-2.

Abstract

In a 15-year period at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, 17 patients were found with breast carcinoma metastatic to the colon or rectum or both. The presenting symptoms and signs were non-specific and included diarrhea, crampy pain, vomiting, and palpable tumor. Endoscopic examination, possible in only 10 of the 17 patients because of luminal obstruction, yielded a correct diagnosis in seven cases. Biopsy was confirmatory in five cases. Lesions metastatic to the colorectum originated predominantly in lobular carcinoma of the breast. Systemic hormonal or chemotherapy or x-irradiation, either alone or as an adjunct to surgery, produced a favorable response in over half the patients so treated.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carcinoma / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma / mortality
  • Carcinoma / secondary*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Colonic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colonic Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Netherlands / epidemiology
  • Rectal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Rectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Rectal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Treatment Outcome