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Case Reports
. 2014 Mar 29;7(1):246-51.
doi: 10.1159/000362185. eCollection 2014 Jan.

A Case of Gingival Metastasis from Rectal Cancer in Which Immunohistochemistry and PET-CT Were Useful for the Diagnostic Procedure

Masami Yamauchi  1 , Katsunori Shinozaki  1 , Mihoko Doi  1 , Tomoko Nitta  1 , Takashi Nishisaka  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case of Gingival Metastasis from Rectal Cancer in Which Immunohistochemistry and PET-CT Were Useful for the Diagnostic Procedure

Masami Yamauchi et al. Case Rep Oncol. .

Abstract

A 50-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of a 2-month history of painful gingival swelling. Histopathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed a metastatic adenocarcinoma, and a chest-abdominopelvic CT showed multiple metastases in the lung, liver, and spleen, but failed to demonstrate the primary tumor. He had never complained of abdominal symptoms, and physical examination did not show any abnormality in the abdomen. However, immunohistochemical staining including caudal-related homeobox transcription factor (CDX-2) of the gingival tumor and PET-CT findings strongly suggested colorectal cancer as the origin. Colonoscopy then revealed a tumor in the rectum, and systemic chemotherapy was started immediately.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Gingival metastasis; Immunohistochemistry; PET-CT.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Inspection reveals an ulcerated tumor in the left lower gingiva.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Immunohistochemical examinations for adenocarcinoma are positive for CK20 (a) and CDX-2 (b), but negative for CK7 (c) and TTF-1 (d).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a PET/CT with sagittal reconstruction reveals a large amount of FDG uptake behind the bladder. b Colonoscopy demonstrates a circular ulcerative tumor in the upper rectum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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