Small bowel obstruction due to metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast

Although breast cancer most frequently metastasizes to the bone, lung, pleura, liver, adrenal glands and brain, it can also affect other organs such as the small bowel and ovaries, especially if the type of cancer is infiltrating and lobular. We present a case of metastases to the small bowel and ovaries from pleomorphic type infiltrating lobular breast carcinoma presenting as intestinal obstruction. Barium transit study revealed a stenosis in the jejunum and another in the terminal ileum at the ileocecal valve area. A flat formation in the area of the ileocecal valve was observed on endoscopy but the results of biopsy were negative, a fairly frequent finding due to the absence of infiltration of the intestinal mucosa. Pathological and immunohistochemical study of the intestinal and ovarian surgical specimens confirmed the diagnosis of metastases from lobular carcinoma of the breast, which was corroborated by breast biopsy.