CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST METASTATIC TO THE URETER PRESENTING WITH FLANK PAIN AND RECURRENT URINARY-TRACT INFECTION

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.