Sister Mary Joseph's Nodule: Ascending Colon Cancer with Umbilical Metastasis

Abstract

Umbilical metastasis is universally referred to as Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (SMJN). This disease is associated with advanced stage internal malignancy and generally has a poor prognosis. The most frequent primary sites are stomach and ovary. SMJN caused by colon cancer, however, is uncommon. We herein represent a case of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule as the first sign of ascending colon cancer. The patient underwent curative surgery for primary colon cancer and umbilical metastatic lesion. Due to an early and accurate diagnosis, we were able to increase the probability of successful, curative surgery. This case highlights that differential diagnosis of an umbilical lesion should always include metastatic lesion.

Keywords

• umbilical metastasis
• ascending colon cancer
• Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (SMJN)