Serous carcinoma of the fallopian tube presenting as axillary lymphadenopathy.
Serous carcinoma originating in the fallopian tube usually presents at an advanced stage with extensive pelvic disease. Palpable axillary lymphadenopathy as the initial presentation of primary fallopian tube cancer without extensive extratubal spread in the pelvis is very uncommon. We report a case of a woman with a high-grade serous carcinoma of fallopian tube origin whose initial clinical presentation was palpable axillary lymphadenopathy. On histopathologic evaluation of her primary tumor, only minimal extension to the ipsilateral ovary was identified, with no other pelvic involvement. No additional supradiaphragmatic involvement was identified on imaging. Although the primary route of spread of tubal cancer is primarily through the direct exfoliation of the cells onto the adjacent surfaces in the peritoneal cavity, less commonly, lymphatic spread can result in distant metastasis, preceding intraperitoneal extension.
Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.
Nikhil
N
Sangle
Joel
J
Webb
Elke A
EA
Jarboe
D001365:Axilla; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged