[Umbilicus metastasis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer : clinical features of 21 patients].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinical features, treatments and prognosis of patients with Sister Mary Joseph's nodule of umbilicus (SMJN) from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients.

METHODS

Among a total of 2642 pathologically diagnosed EOC cases, 21 cases with SMJN were histopathologically diagnosed and had an age range of 40-66 years at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1991 and January 2011. Their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidence of SMJN in EOC was 0.79 %. The 1, 2 and 5-year survival rates were 61.8%, 26.8% and 9.5% respectively. The diagnosis was confirmed via local excision biopsy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy or gross pathological diagnosis. Univariate analysis showed that patients with progressive disease or relapsing with umbilical metastasis after treatment had worse prognosis than those diagnosed at pre-treatment (22 vs 6 months, P < 0.01) . Patients with suboptimal cytoreductive surgery and/or less than 6 circles of chemotherapy or palliative treatment had worse prognosis than those with optional cytoreductive surgery during 6-8 circles of chemotherapy (21 vs. 4 months). Multivariate analysis showed that the time to diagnose and treatment regimen were independent predictors of survival (relative risk = 41.28, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

SMJN is a rare manifestation of EOC. Improving the diagnostic vigilance, optimal debulking surgery plus regular chemotherapy and other new individualized postoperative treatments may arrest the progression of EOC and prolong patient survival.