Published online Nov 15, 2016. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v8.i11.801
Peer-review started: June 1, 2016
First decision: August 10, 2016
Revised: August 25, 2016
Accepted: September 13, 2016
Article in press: September 18, 2016
Published online: November 15, 2016
A 48-year-old woman presented with bilateral enlarged ovaries, ascites, bilateral pleural effusion, and advanced gastric cancer. Pleural fluid cytology did not reveal malignant cells. Oophorectomy, performed as a palliative procedure, was followed by rapid resolution of the pleural effusion and ascites. The patient was diagnosed with pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome, and underwent chemotherapy followed by partial gastrectomy. At the last follow-up, 84 mo following oophorectomy, she was alive, and free of disease recurrence, despite not receiving any further treatment. Pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome should be considered in patients with bilateral ovarian tumors, ascites and pleural effusion, and treatment such as oophorectomy may result in symptomatic improvement and better prognosis in similar patients.
Core tip: In general, the prognosis of gastric cancer with distant metastases is poor. On the other hand, oophorectomy for gastric cancer-related metastatic ovarian tumors may improve survival, especially in the absence of metastasis to other organs. We here report a long-term survival case of pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome caused by gastric cancer following oophorectomy. We conclude that pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome should be considered in patients with gastric cancer with enlarged ovaries, pleural effusion, and ascites.