Key result
Stable imaging fails to rule out cancer-associated TMA in metastatic breast cancer.
Why the study?
Cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy is a rare and often fatal complication of malignancies, where stable imaging may mask cancer progression or microangiopathy.
Case Report (n=1)
Stable imaging does not rule out cancer progression or cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis based on laboratory findings.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May warrant lab vigilance for TMA despite stable imaging in metastatic cancer; leaves open need for prospective surveillance studies.
Cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare and often fatal consequence of solid and hematologic malignancies. We report a 69-year-old woman with metastatic hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative breast cancer who developed severe anemia without bleeding. Laboratory tests revealed erythrocyte destruction, low platelet counts, and the presence of schistocytes. Imaging suggested a stable tumor burden. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed cancer-associated TMA. This case shows that stable imaging does not rule out cancer progression or TMA. Early diagnosis of cancer-associated TMA is essential for timely therapy, improving survival rates, and quality of life.
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Sullivan et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (n=1). Metastatic breast cancer was evaluated. A 69-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer developed cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy despite stable imaging, showing that stable scans do not rule out cancer progression or TMA.
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