Skeletal muscle: an unusual site of distant metastasis in gastric carcinoma

Gastric cancer metastatic to skeletal muscle is an unusual entity. Surgery, systemic chemotherapy, or radiotherapy to the metastatic mass can be treatment options for achiving palliation.

A patient with multiple skeletal muscle metastases that occurred during follow-up after gastrectomy and adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated soft-tissue masses involving the posterior right paralumbar and posterior left paradorsal muscles. Biopsy showed metastatic infiltrating adenocarcinoma. The patient did not respond to palliative chemotherapy. Palliative radiotherapy was administered to the painful mass. Based on this case, the diagnosis of muscle metastases and treatment options for palliation are discussed.