Gastric carcinoma presenting with skin metastasis

ABSTRACT

A case of gastric carcinoma presenting with skin nodule is reported. Clinical picture This patient was diagnosed as sealed perforation in a duodenal ulcer. Two days after lap exploration histopathology report of skin nodule [excised 3days before the operation in plastic surgery day care unit] suggested gastrointestinal origin of this skin metastasis. Esophago-gastroscopy revealed a gastric mass in the body of the stomach and histopathology examination of biopsies taken from the gastric mass confirmed the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma of signet ring cell type. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy started for tumor down staging, then abdominal exploration was done but unfortunately the tumor was unresectable. Gastric carcinoma can rarely present with skin metastasis away from the umbilicus. Gastric carcinoma in very rare occasions may metastitize to the skin without liver or lymph nodes metastasis