# Changes in hormone receptor when breast cancer metastasizes to the colon: case report and literature review

**Authors:** Huimeng Li, Liying Yang, Xiqiang Sun, Zhuquan Wang, Shuangwei Qin, Chengcheng Li, Gongwu Liu, Fengming Xie, Weiwei Gao

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1391393 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2025-01-29

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of breast cancer metastasizing to the colon with changes in hormone receptors and reviews similar cases in the literature.

## Contribution

The report adds a new case to the limited literature on breast cancer metastasis to the colon with hormone receptor changes.

## Key findings

- A 65-year-old woman with breast cancer history was diagnosed with metastasis to the colon with altered hormone receptors.
- The patient developed liver and systemic metastases within 19 months after initial treatment.
- Only a few cases of breast cancer metastasis to the colon with receptor changes have been previously documented.

## Abstract

The metastasis of breast cancer to the colon is a rare occurrence, especially in the presence of changes in estrogen and progesterone receptors. To date, literature has only reported two cases of invasive ductal carcinoma and two cases of invasive lobular carcinoma metastasizing to the colon with concurrent changes in hormone receptors. This report describes a 65-year-old woman with a history of left breast cancer, who presented with symptoms of bloody stools and abdominal pain. CT and colonoscopy results revealed a malignant tumor in the ascending colon, and the patient underwent surgery. Pathological results post-surgery indicated changes in hormone receptors, differing from the previous breast cancer pathology, ultimately leading to the diagnosis of breast cancer metastasis to the colon. The patient was found to have liver metastasis 14 months after right hemicolectomy, and systemic metastases in various locations were discovered at the 19-month mark.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** breast cancer (MONDO:0004989), colon cancer (MONDO:0002032)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** NR4A1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1) [NCBI Gene 3164] {aka GFRP1, HMR, N10, NAK-1, NGFIB, NP10}
- **Diseases:** invasive lobular carcinoma (MESH:D018275), invasive ductal carcinoma (MESH:D044584), abdominal pain (MESH:D015746), breast cancer (MESH:D001943), malignant tumor (MESH:D009369), metastases (MESH:D009362), colon (MESH:D003108)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC11813744/full.md

## References

62 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC11813744/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC11813744