Metastasization of mesorectal lymph nodes by a prostatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract

We present two patients with metastasis of a prostate carcinoma in the mesorectal lymphatic nodes. After these findings, we retrieve and review the hematoxylin and eosin (HE) slides of 22 other surgical specimens from patients presenting both synchronic tumours from the records of the Registry of Tumours of our hospital from 1999 to 2005. Histological findings in the lymph nodes were consistent with prostate carcinoma and confirmed by immunohistochemistry expressing positivitiy for PSA and negativity for CEA and CK20. No metastasis of the prostate cancer to lymphatic mesorectal nodes was histologically found in any of the 22 cases reviewed with synchronous rectal and prostate carcinoma. Our findings also support the existence of connections between the lymphatic drainage of the mesorectum and the hypogastric lymphatic drainage.

Keywords

• Mesorectum
• Prostate cancer
• Node metastasis