title: Umbilical complications of malignancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer patients may manifest a variety of intraabdominal complications occurring during various phases of their illness; however, little in the literature exists regarding umbilical abnormalities in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Umbilical metastases (Sister Mary Joseph's sign) are the most common malignant complication involving the umbilicus and may be the presenting manifestation of visceral malignancy. Cancer patients may occasionally experience periumbilical ecchymosis (Cullen's sign), infection, hernia, or varices, each of which may require therapy. This review succinctly presents several umbilical complications that the clinician may encounter in patients with malignant disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Wright State University, 1382 East Stroop Road, Dayton, OH 45429, USA. Mmarinella@pol.net
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marinella
mesh_terms: D002481:Cellulitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology