Repeated emergency embolization for life-threatening bleeding from ulcerating breast carcinoma: a case report

Abstract Introduction Life-threatening hemorrhages from locally advanced breast carcinoma are rare and data on this topic scarce. We report a patient with an ulcerating invasive breast tumor suffering from torrential bleeding treated using repeated transarterial embolization of the tumor feeding arteries. Case A 38-year-old woman who presented with massive, life-threatening hemorrhage from an ulcerating high-grade invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast. After embolization of the tumor feeding arteries in the left thoracic wall the bleeding was initially successfully stopped. However, two days later the patient developed recurrent massive hemorrhage from contralateral internal thoracic and multiple intercostal perforator arteries. After embolization of these additional tumor feeders using liquid embolics, the bleeding stopped, and no further episodes of hemorrhage occurred. Conclusions Sudden severe hemorrhages from locally advanced breast cancer are rare but life-threatening. Transarterial embolization of the tumor-feeding vessels can be a quick and effective way to stabilize these patients to facilitate further treatment.