Pancreatic cancer diagnosed by the detection of gross hematuria due to urinary bladder metastasis: A case report

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is not easy to detect at its early stages due to difficulties in identifying symptoms at these stages. As it progresses, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, jaundice and pain in the back, especially the lower back, might develop. Moreover, sudden onset or worsening of diabetes mellitus may be seen, which often prompts screening for the detection of pancreatic cancer. Since it rapidly spreads to surrounding tissues and organs, pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis. However, metastasis to the bladder is rare, with few cases diagnosed on the basis of detecting gross hematuria. The current study presents a case of gross hematuria and exacerbated diabetes in a 90-year-old woman. Cystoscopy revealed a non-papillary tumor in the posterior bladder wall. Pathological examination of bladder tumor specimens obtained via transurethral resection revealed adenocarcinoma. Subsequent systemic examinations revealed primary pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to the bladder. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of pancreatic cancer diagnosed based on the detection of gross hematuria due to bladder metastasis, since 1992.