A rare case of recurrent ovarian cancer presenting as a round ligament metastasis

World J Surg Oncol. 2011 Nov 7:9:144. doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-9-144.

Abstract

We report a rare case of recurrent ovarian cancer presenting as a round ligament metastasis. A 44-year-old woman presented with a lower abdominal mass. Computed tomography showed a pelvic mass. Primary surgery was performed. A histopathological examination showed an ovarian serous adenocarcinoma of Stage IIIb. The patient received 6 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Almost 2 years after the initial operation, the patient noticed a left inguinal mass. Computed tomography showed a left inguinal mass, 18 mm in size. An excisional biopsy was performed and the tumor was found to originate in the left round ligament. A histopathological examination showed serous adenocarcinoma and there was no evidence of lymph node tissue. Recurrence of ovarian cancer in the round ligament is extremely rare. This unique case suggests, however, that the round ligament in rare cases may be a recurrence site for ovarian cancer, and that accurate differentiation including confirmation by diagnostic imaging and excisional biopsy, is necessary for a definitive pathological diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / drug therapy
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / secondary*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inguinal Canal / pathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Prognosis
  • Round Ligament of Uterus / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel