Ovarian carcinoma presenting with axillary lymph node metastasis: a case diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration and brief review of the literature

Diagn Cytopathol. 2008 Dec;36(12):891-3. doi: 10.1002/dc.20945.

Abstract

Ovarian carcinoma is a lethal disease and a main cause of morbidity and mortality among gynecological malignancies. Metastatic ovarian carcinoma to the axillary node is an exceptionally infrequent pathological entity. We report a case of ovarian carcinoma, which presented with axillary lymph node metastasis and review the previously documented cases. A 63-year-old woman with a medical history of stage IIIb ovarian carcinoma was admitted to our hospital complaining of a mass in her right axilla. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy was performed. Cytological examination revealed a poorly differentiated carcinoma with immunocytochemical features consistent with metastatic ovarian carcinoma. This case illustrates a rare presentation of ovarian carcinoma and underlines the need to consider it in the differential diagnosis of axillary lesions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Carcinoma / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology