[Digestive system metastases from breast cancer. Report of two cases]

We have reviewed two unusual cases of gastrointestinal metastases from a primary breast carcinoma. The first case was an unexpected microscopic discovery of metastases in an inguinal hernia sac, eleven years after the patient had surgery for breast carcinoma. The second case was a rectal localization from a unknown breast carcinoma. The incidence of gastrointestinal metastasis from breast carcinoma is underestimated because they have a long latency and screening is difficult. Histologically they are predominantly of the lobular type and the differential diagnosis from a primary gastrointestinal malignancy can be difficult. A wider knowledge of gastrointestinal metastases from primary breast carcinoma is important because an appropriate management allows a long survival period.