A resected case of gallbladder metastasis with symptoms of acute cholecystitis in multiple metastatic ductal carcinoma of the breast

Understanding crosstalk of organ tropism, tumor microenvironment and noncoding RNAs in breast cancer metastasis

Cancer metastasis is one of the major clinical challenges worldwide due to limited existing effective treatments. Metastasis roots from the host organ of origin and gradually migrates to different regional and distant organs. In different breast cancer subtypes, different organs like bones, liver, lungs and brain are targeted by the metastatic tumor cells. Cancer renders mortality to their respective metastasizing sites like bones, brain, liver, and lungs. Metastatic breast cancers are best treated and managed if detected at an early stage. Metastasis is regulated by various molecular activators and suppressors. The conventional theory of 'seed and soil' states that metastatic tumor cells move to tumor microenvironment that has favorable conditions like blood flow for them to grow just like seeds grows when planted in fertile land. Additionally, different coding as well as non-coding RNAs play a very significant role in the process of metastasis by modulating their expression levels leading to a crosstalk of various tumorigenic cascades. Treatments for metastasis is also very critical in controlling this lethal process. Detecting breast cancer metastasis at an early stage is crucial for managing and predicting metastatic progression. In this review, we have compiled several factors that can be targeted to manage the onset and gradual stages of breast cancer metastasis.

Elective cholecystectomy as a rare presentation of metastatic breast cancer

Cholecystectomy leads, occasionally, to the diagnosis of subclinical primary carcinomas and rarely metastatic tumors. The authors report the diagnosis of gallbladder metastasis after an elective cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Histological examination disclosed a metastasis from a lobular breast carcinoma. Authors found no more than 25 case reports of breast cancer metastasis in English literature. Of those, only one reports first diagnosis after elective cholecystectomy with no radiological or macroscopic signs of malignancy. Rare clinical presentations, as in this case, should always be kept in mind specially in high volume centers. These rare presentations lack good quality evidence and challenge the best standard treatment regimen available. Multidisciplinary assessment is the key to maximize the risk/benefit of different treatment modalities. In this case report, although curative surgery was attempted, progression disease was typical of an advance staged disease.