Incidentally Diagnosed Breast Cancer in a Patient with Rectal Cancer: A Case Report

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

1 Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

5 Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.30476/acrr.2025.107039.1249

Abstract

The development of screening and therapeutic approaches has improved the prognosis of colorectal cancer
(CRC) patients, leading to an expected increase in the incidence of second primary cancers (SPCs). CRC has
been correlated with several extracolonic SPCs, including malignancies of the small intestine, stomach, breast,
and ovary. We report a case of a 50-year-old woman with a history of rectal bleeding who was diagnosed with
rectal adenocarcinoma. She underwent total neoadjuvant therapy followed by abdominoperineal resection in
the colorectal surgery ward at Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, in December 2023. Five months after surgery,
a soft tissue mass (10*13 mm) in her left breast was incidentally detected on a chest computed tomography
scan. Suspecting breast cancer, she underwent mammography and a core needle biopsy, which confirmed the
diagnosis. She subsequently underwent a left partial mastectomy, and pathological evaluation revealed invasive
ductal carcinoma. This case highlights the importance of considering SPCs in CRC survivors. Regular followup
is recommended for these patients to detect early signs of recurrence, progression, or the presence of SPCs,
enabling prompt and appropriate treatment.

Highlights

Marzieh Rahimi (Google Scholar)

Azadeh Jabbari Nooghabi (Google Scholar)

Majid Ansari (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Colorectal Research
Volume 13, Issue 1
March 2025
Pages 25-29

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