Krukenberg tumor: report of two cases

Krukenberg tumor (KT) is a metastatic signet-ring adenocarcinoma of the ovary with variants of gastro-intestinal primary either detected synchronously or metachronously. Here two cases of Krukenberg tumor are reported with detected primary sites, one arising from the stomach and the second from the pancreas. The first case, a 35 year old multiparous woman with a past history of endoscopically proven gastric ulcer was diagnosed as a case of advanced gastric carcinoma with concomitant right adnexal mass. Endoscopic biopsy from the gastric growth revealed adenocarcimona (signet ring variety). As the primary gastric growth was not feasilble for surgical resection, palliative total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathology of the ovary revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma with negative peritoneal cytology. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy, the patient died due to progression of primary cancer. The second patient, a 55 year old menopausal lady was diagnosed as a case of metastatic ovarian tumour with recurring ascitis upon chemotherapy. Comprehensive scanning revealed a thick walled lesion in the left side of the body and tail of the pancreas along with a left adnexal mass. Upon surgical exploration a vascular solid mass was identified in the pancreas which was not feasible for any sort of resection. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was found in the apparently shriveled up right ovary with positive peritoneal cytology. She succumbed to death due to reappearance of epigastric pain and haemorrhagic ascitis.