Metastatic carcinoma of the breast resembling early gastric carcinoma

We describe a case of gastric metastasis from a lobular carcinoma of the br east in a 45-year-old woman who had undergone a left mastectomy with axilla ry dissection 7 years earlier, At the current presentation, she had been ex periencing progressive epigastric discomfort for 3 months, The initial diag nosis was early gastric carcinoma, diffuse type, based on gastric biopsy fi ndings and ultrasonographic endoscopy, A definitive diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was confirmed after subtotal gastrectomy of a presumed prima ry early gastric carcinoma. Although gastrointestinal metastases from breas t cancer are not rare, the early stage of the gastric lesion and the absenc e of further disease dissemination make this case unusual. The onset of gas trointestinal symptoms in a patient with a history of breast carcinoma shou ld prompt the physician to rule out the possibility of gastric metastases.