A Primary Peritoneal Serous Carcinoma Metastasizing to the Stomach Mimicking a Submucosal Tumor: A Potential Pitfall of Clinical Diagnosis

Abstract

A primary peritoneal serous carcinoma (PPSC) usually presents as peritoneal dissemination. We report a case of gastric metastasis from PPSC mimicking a primary gastric submucosal tumor (SMT). A 62-year-old woman presented to our hospital with abundant ascites, omental caking, and normal-sized ovaries. Cellblock analysis of ascite specimens indicated high-grade serous Mlerian carcinoma. Gastrointestinal endoscopy detected a 4-cm SMT, which was not gastric cancer, on the gastric antrum. A clinical diagnosis of PPSC was rendered. After chemotherapy, the gastric SMT reduced in size. Following this, the patient underwent complete resection of the residual tumors including gastric SMT. Pathological examination revealed that the gastric lesion was metastasis from PPSC. The assumption that an SMT lesion is a benign primary gastric tumor not requiring surgical resection may hinder optimal tumor debulking. Therefore, preoperative biopsy should be considered, if the situation allows.




J Med Cases. 2016;7(11):480-483
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2664w