Multiple Ileal and Colonic Stenoses: Is It Always Crohn's Disease?

A 62-year-old woman presented with multiple ileal and colonic stenoses, initially suspected to be Crohn's disease. Despite unremarkable endoscopic biopsies, surgery was performed due to clinical deterioration, and histological analysis confirmed the presence of metastatic breast cancer. This case highlights the importance of considering metastatic disease in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) strictures, particularly when inflammatory bowel disease markers are inconclusive or marginal. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for breast cancer to metastasize to the GI tract, which may present with symptoms mimicking primary GI diseases.
(© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation.)