[Metastatic tumor of the epididymis from pancreatic carcinoma: a case report]

A 58-year-old male who complained of painful left scrotal swelling consulted a local clinic in August 1998. Because his symptoms did not improve after antibiotic therapy, he was transferred and admitted to Jyouhoku City Hospital on September 14, 1998. Pelvic computed tomography (CT) was performed, and revealed left epididymitis. However, antibiotic treatment did not improve the condition. Then, because carcinoma of the epididymis was suspected, left inguinal orchiectomy was performed. We found a tumor in the spermatic cord and another tumor in the epididymis. The pathological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma, and metastatic carcinoma from the digestive tract was suspected. Therefore, examinations were performed to detect the primary cancer. CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an invasive irregular tumor from the pancreas to the left kidney. Irregular mucosa was observed by gastrointestinal fiberscopy. A biopsy was performed and the pathological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed as having a metastatic tumor of the epididymis and spermatic cord caused by pancreatic carcinoma. This is the 3rd case of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas that presented as an epididymal nodule, and this is the 12th case of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas that presented as a spermatic cord nodule.