Bilateral Metastatic Ovarian Tumor after Resection of Rectum Cancer -A Case Report

A 56-year-old postmenopausal woman had low anterior resection (R3) for rectum carcinoma in June 1988. Pathology revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Ten months later, an abdominal fullness and pain was noted. In May 1989 bilateral oophorectomy was done. The pathologic diagnosis was metastatic adenocarcinoma from the rectum cancer. A review of the Japanease literature reveals the incidence of ovarian metastases from colorectal cancer as approximately 3 percent. This problem may occur somewhat more frequently in premenopausal women (mean age, 50 years). Late ovarian metastasis of only 12 cases, including our own, have been reported in Japanese literature. The presence of ovarian metastasis was associated with a poor prognosis. Occasional long-term survivors are found with oophorectomy at the time of primary bowel resection. Many cases should be studied to clarify the indication for prophylactic oophorectomy in the future.