Ra. Lopezmartinez et al., CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST METASTATIC TO THE URETER PRESENTING WITH FLANK PAIN AND RECURRENT URINARY-TRACT INFECTION, The American surgeon, 62(9), 1996, pp. 748-752
Urinary tract infection in the female patient is not an uncommon findi
ng. Flank pain associated with urinary tract infection is usually due
to calculus disease or pyelonephritis. In patients with history of bre
ast carcinoma, metastasis to the periureteral area with resulting obst
ruction should be considered. The incidence of metastatic breast carci
noma presenting in this fashion is as high as 7.8 per cent. This case
shows a patient with metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast with u
reteral obstruction, causing flank pain and recurrent urinary tract in
fection. This report emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up
in patients with history of breast cancer, especially invasive lobular
carcinoma, and the high degree of suspicion required to diagnose and
institute proper therapy.