Metastatic breast cancer mimicking cholecystitis. A rare clinical presentation

Abstract

We report a case of a 61-year-old lady who presented with central chest and epigastric pain. A clinical diagnosis of cholecystitis was established, and a cholecystectomy was carried out. Microscopic examination of the gallbladder showed chronic cholecystitis and metastatic carcinoma of probable breast lobular carcinoma origin. The report was followed by further clinical and mammographic examination, which showed a focal area of thickening in the left breast. Core biopsy of this lesion confirmed the diagnosis of lobular carcinoma of the breast. Her tumor was treated with surgery followed by chemo/hormone therapy. The patient died 5 years after the cholecystectomy from disseminated breast malignancy.