Carcinoma of the breast metastatic to the ureter presenting with flank pain and recurrent urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infection in the female patient is not an uncommon finding. Flank pain associated with urinary tract infection is usually due to calculus disease or pyelonephritis. In patients with history of breast carcinoma, metastasis to the periureteral area with resulting obstruction should be considered. The incidence of metastatic breast carcinoma presenting in this fashion is as high as 7.8 per cent. This case shows a patient with metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast with ureteral obstruction, causing flank pain and recurrent urinary tract infection. This report emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up in patients with history of breast cancer, especially invasive lobular carcinoma, and the high degree of suspicion required to diagnose and institute proper therapy.