Seventy seven patients with metastases from an invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast have been compared with 72 consecutive metastatic ductal carcinomas. There was no difference in the metastatic free interval between the two groups. A distinct pattern of clinical presentation of metastases was seen; hepatic (P = 0.01) and peritoneal metastases (P = 0.0003) occurred more commonly in lobular tumours. Bilateral cancers were more common in the lobular group (P = 0.01). No difference was seen in terms of meningeal and pulmonary metastases. Survival after metastases was significantly longer in patients with metastatic lobular carcinoma (P = 0.02).