Non-umbilical Cutaneous Metastasis of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma as the First Clinical Manifestation: A Case Report

Korean J Gastroenterol. 2016 Oct 25;68(4):221-224. doi: 10.4166/kjg.2016.68.4.221.

Abstract

Non-umbilical cutaneous metastases from pancreatic adenocarcinomas are extremely rare. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. An 83-year-old Korean woman, with no previous medical history, presented with a painful nodule on her scalp. Histologic examination of the nodule revealed a metastatic adenocarcinoma, and immunohistochemical staining was positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7 and CK 19. These findings were consistent with a metastatic carcinoma of pancreatic origin. An abdominal computed tomography scan identified a mass on the pancreatic head and multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Pathological examination of an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of the pancreatic mass determined that it was a poorly differentiated carcinoma. The patient refused any treatment owing to her old age and short life expectancy. Four months later, the disease progressed rapidly, and the patient died.

Keywords: Cutaneous; Immunohistochemistry; Neoplasm metastasis; Pancreatic neoplasms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen / diagnostic imaging
  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis*
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratin-19 / metabolism
  • Keratin-7 / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Keratin-19
  • Keratin-7