Rare metastases of recurrent cervical cancer to the pericardium and abdominal muscle

Abstract

Pericardial metastasis from recurrent cervical cancer is very rare. There have been few case reports of such cases in which antemortem diagnoses were established. Cases of additional abdominal muscular metastasis have not been reported previously, although a small number of cases of additional skin metastasis have been reported. A 64-year-old woman with intermittent vaginal bleeding was referred under the clinical impression of cervical cancer. Further investigation revealed a cervical cancer (FIGO stage Ib), and she underwent a radical hysterectomy followed by adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation. During the post-operative follow-up period of 6 months, pericardial and abdominal muscular metastases were developed along with the symptoms of dry cough and dyspnea. We recommended a palliative pericardial window, but the patient rejected it. Although palliative radiation therapy and chemotherapy were performed for the control of the metastases, she expired due to cardiac failure 16 months after the operation. The prognosis of patients with pericardial and abdominal wall metastases from recurrent cervical cancer is usually poor because of the systemic dissemination of the disease. Aggressive local and systemic treatments may provide significant palliation of associated symptoms.