A Rare Case of Metastatic Breast Cancer in the Bladder

TL;DR

A rare case of breast cancer spreading to the bladder is reported, highlighting unusual metastasis patterns and diagnostic challenges.

Contribution

This paper presents a unique clinical case of metastatic breast cancer to the bladder, emphasizing diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

Findings

Breast cancer metastasized to the bladder nearly 20 years after initial diagnosis.

Bladder involvement was initially detected through acute kidney injury and imaging.

Histology confirmed metastatic breast cancer in the bladder, not a primary bladder tumor.

Abstract

This case describes the rare occurrence of breast cancer with metastasis to the bladder. This woman in her 60s, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in the mid-2000s. Nearly 20 years later, she developed recurrence at her primary site and metastasis to the skin and bones, and subsequently to the bladder. The involvement of the bladder initially presented as a stage 3 acute kidney injury during routine blood tests whilst the patient was undergoing chemotherapy for local breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. Initial ultrasound imaging showed bilateral hydroureteronephrosis. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast revealed a thickened bladder wall in addition to the bilateral hydroureteronephrosis. She underwent bilateral nephrostomy insertions under local anaesthesia as an emergency, and a flexible cystoscopy, which revealed a tumour in the bladder. This patient then underwent a transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) and histology samples from this resection revealed metastatic breast cancer in the bladder rather than a primary tumour from the bladder.

Figures