Metastatic Breast Carcinoma with Adrenal and Pituitary Involvement: A Case Report

Hawa Juma El-Shareif¹

Keywords: Breast cancer, adrenal metastasis, pituitary metastas

DOI: 10.63475/yjm.v4i2.0108

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.63475/yjm.v4i2.0108

Publish Date: 22-09-2025

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Pages: 447 - 451

Downloads: 1

Citation: 0

Author Affiliation:

1 Professor, Department of Medicine, Tripoli University Hospital, Tripoli, Libya

Abstract

Breast cancer commonly metastasizes to the bones, liver, lungs, and brain. However, metastasis to endocrine glands, particularly the adrenal and pituitary glands, is rare. We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast who initially showed a favorable response to standard therapy. Surveillance imaging in late 2022 revealed a left adrenal mass, subsequently confirmed as metastatic breast carcinoma. Following laparoscopic adrenalectomy, she developed primary adrenal insufficiency. By mid-2023, she presented with pituitary metastases, resulting in hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, and severe visual impairment. Despite targeted radiosurgery, her disease progressed rapidly, and she died in December 2024. This case illustrates an unusual metastatic pattern involving both the adrenal and pituitary glands and demonstrates the potential for aggressive clinical behavior even in hormone receptor–positive breast cancer. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for atypical metastatic sites to ensure timely diagnosis and optimize palliative care strategies

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