Metastasis to the Pancreas From Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of Breast Cancer: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND

The usual locations of metastatic breast neoplasms include the bones, the liver, the lung, and the brain. Breast cancer rarely metastasizes to the pancreas. However, pancreatic metastasis and primary pancreatic cancer are difficult to differentiate because of their similar clinical features and radiological characteristics.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report on a 49-year-old woman initially diagnosed with left breast ductal carcinoma in June 2008. The patient was admitted to the hospital with jaundice after 12 years. Computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass in the pancreas head. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry showed ductal carcinoma originating from breast cancer. She underwent pancreatoduodenectomy to relieve jaundice. The patient is still alive with a favorable prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, we mainly discuss the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and surgical treatment of pancreatic metastasis. When a pancreatic lesion is detected with a history of breast cancer, the pancreatic metastasis likely originates from breast cancer.