Metastatic breast carcinoma to the os calcis presenting as heel pain

A 47-year-old woman who had been treated for breast carcinoma 11 years previously developed significant heel pain of unclear etiology, which ultimately proved to be metastatic adenocarcinoma. A low index of suspicion and falsely negative plain radiographs contributed to a delay in diagnosis. No other osseous metastases besides those to the foot were identifiable at the time of diagnosis. Breast carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies and frequently metastasizes to bone. Despite this, metastases to the hands or feet (acrometastases) have been identified in only a few cases. It is likely that acrometastases are more common than reported but unrecognized.