Gastric carcinoma presenting with cellulitis-like cutaneous metastasis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Gastric adenocarcinoma, particularly signet-ring cell type, can present with unusual metastatic patterns.
• Cutaneous metastases are rare but can mimic inflammatory conditions like cellulitis.

Observation:

• A patient with early-stage prostate cancer developed a neck mass after radiotherapy.
• The neck mass initially resembled cellulitis and did not respond to antibiotics.
• Biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma, prompting further investigation.

Findings:

• The patient was diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma (signet-ring cell type) based on endoscopic and biopsy findings.
• The initial neck lesion was a cutaneous metastasis from the stomach cancer.
• The patient experienced a rapid decline and died within four weeks of diagnosis.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering unusual metastatic sites in cancer diagnosis.
• Cellulitis-like cutaneous metastases from gastric cancer are rare and can delay diagnosis.
• Early recognition of such presentations is crucial for timely and appropriate patient management.