A rare case of umbilical metastasis after delayed transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction for invasive breast cancer

Article type: Case Report

Authors: Seymour, Nicky Claire^* | Rathinaezhil, Rathi

Affiliations: Park Centre for Breast Care, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, UK

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: E-mail: nickyseymour@doctors.org.uk

Abstract: A 46-year-old female presented with an inflamed and painful umbilicus. Past medical history included breast cancer, followed by metastatic sternal cancer two years after the initial breast cancer diagnosis. The painful umbilicus was confirmed metastasis from a primary breast cancer she had treated eleven years previously. Metastases to the umbilicus are rare, and are usually gastrointestinal in origin. To our knowledge this is the first report of a metastasis from any primary cancer to the umbilicus after transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAM). Any lesion at any stage after treatment for breast cancer should be viewed with suspicion of recurrence and investigated and treated appropriately.

Keywords: Breast cancer, metastatic, umbilical metastasis, transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap

DOI: 10.3233/BD-160249

Journal: Breast Disease, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 33-35, 2017