Appendiceal Metastasis of Breast Cancer: A Case Report and a Literature Review

Cureus. 2024 Apr 9;16(4):e57929. doi: 10.7759/cureus.57929. eCollection 2024 Apr.

Abstract

Appendiceal metastases of breast cancer (BC) are very rare, and there are few reports of resection. Asymptomatic appendiceal enlargement is often suspected to be a primary appendiceal tumor, making it difficult to suspect metastatic tumors, especially metastases from BC. On the other hand, advances in drug therapy, including hormonal therapy for BC, have prolonged survival, and there is a possibility of encountering metastatic cases that have rarely been seen before. We herein present a case in which an enlarged appendix, identified during hormonal therapy for advanced BC, was laparoscopically removed and diagnosed as BC metastasis. A 53-year-old woman had been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) based on a breast biopsy, and the appendiceal specimen was diagnosed as invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). We herein report this unique case and provide a detailed review of 13 previous reports.

Keywords: appendix; breast cancer; invasive lobular carcinoma; laparoscopic surgery; metastasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports