Metastatic carcinoma simulating linitis plastica of the colon. A case report

Reported herein is the case of a 70-year old woman with metastatic breast carcinoma presenting as linitis plastica of the ascending colon. The breast tumor was diagnosed nine years previously. The clinical, roentgenographic and pathologic features of colonic linitis plastica and the preoperative diagnostic difficulties are discussed. There is no difference in the morphologic features of primary and secondary linitis plastica. The latter may result from anaplastic carcinoma of the stomach, gallbladder or breast.