Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Metastatic Urothelial Cell Carcinoma With Plasmacytoid Features: A Case Report

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is a type of malignant cancer that affects thousands of people worldwide, especially those who smoke and have certain occupational exposures. Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma (PUC) is a rare histological variant of UCC that can present aggressively and insidiously. Small bowel obstruction secondary to malignancy is a rare presentation of UCC because the small bowel is a rare site of metastasis. We showcase a patient who presented with small bowel obstruction secondary to high-grade metastatic UCC with plasmacytoid features, exhibiting minimal urologic symptoms and no apparent risk factors. This case highlights the importance of high clinical suspicion for patients with possible malignancies that present with limited or unusual symptomatology and no risk factors. Further research into PUC to understand its symptoms and metastatic pattern is warranted to advance current early diagnostic criteria and further improve patient outcomes.