Utility of FDG PET/CT in Patient with Synchronous Breast and Colon Cancer

Abstract

The most common malignancy in women is breast cancer, and the second one is colon cancer. Synchronous breast and colon cancers are rare. Here, we reported a 60-year-old woman with a left breast mass for six months. Biopsy revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma. She underwent 2-[Fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scan for evaluation of the extent of the disease. FDG PET/CT revealed an advanced left breast cancer with multiple metastases in both regional and distant lymph nodes (in left axilla level I/II, lower paratracheal region, and right lung hilum), bilateral lungs, and axial and proximal appendicular skeletons. An early staged synchronous colon cancer was detected incidentally on FDG PET/CT images. After endoscopic mucosal resection of colon cancer, she received palliative chemotherapy for breast cancer with a marked therapeutic response. The disease status of post-treated breast cancer remained relatively stationary for more than one year. Brain metastasis was noted afterward. Nevertheless, there was no evidence of colon cancer recurrence throughout her breast cancer disease course.

Keywords

• FDG PET/CT
• synchronous tumor
• breast cancer
• colon cancer