Cutaneous metastasis of a ring cell gastric adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous metastasis of gastric tumors are very rare. Their topography is generally near to the primitive tumor, in the abdominal wall but rarely in cervical region.

AIM: the aim of our study was to describe the topography and the clinic-pathological characteristics of cutaneous metastasis of ring cells gastric adenocarcinoma. Observation1: Our first patient is aged of 33 years has epigastralgias and vomiting. Gastric adenocarcinoma with independent cells was diagnosed by gastroscopy and gastric biopsy made for gastric pain and loss of weigh. During hospitalization, he developed 4 cutaneous nodes localized in cervical region. Cutaneous biopsy with histological examination confirmed the metastatic nature of the nodes. Patient was addressed in oncology unit in order to begin palliative systemic chemotherapy. Observation 2: Our second patient is a women aged of 4 3years who had surgical resection for independent cell gastric carcinoma diagnosed by gastroscpy and biopsy for gastric pain and loss of weigh. She had total gastrectomy without any complications and was addressed in oncology unit for adjuvant chemotherapy. After 2 years, she developed peritoneal carcinosis and cutaneous abdominal nodes. Cutaneous metastasis were confirmed by histological examination of cutaneous biopsy and the patient died within one month.

CONCLUSION: Cutaneous metastasis of gastric cancer and especially ring cell adenocarcinoma are rare but do occur. They must be early diagnosed because they modify therapeutic options. Their prognosis remains poor.