Duodenal obstruction secondary to metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting females and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The most common sites of metastatic disease are bone, liver, lung and brain, with the gastrointestinal tract less commonly implicated. Intestinal metastasis from breast cancer is rare, with vast majority of patients being asymptomatic. Diagnosis can often be delayed due to gastrointestinal symptoms perceived to be secondary to treatment rather than malignancy. Unfortunately, intestinal metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis with the median survival being 12 months. We present the case of a 53-year-old female with a diagnosed history of metastatic breast cancer who presented to our institution with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and was subsequently diagnosed with a small bowel obstruction secondary to duodenal metastasis after endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition. She was managed conservatively with chemotherapy resulting in resolution of her small bowel obstruction.