Pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome secondary to metachronous ovarian metastases from transverse colon cancer

Abstract

Pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome associated with colorectal cancer is extremely rare. We report here a case of pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome secondary to metachronous ovarian metastases from colon cancer. A 65-year-old female with a history of surgery for transverse colon cancer and peritoneal dissemination suffered from metachronous ovarian metastases during treatment with systemic chemotherapy. At first, neither ascites nor pleural effusion was observed, but she later complained of progressive abdominal distention and dyspnea caused by rapidly increasing ascites and pleural effusion and rapidly enlarging ovarian metastases. Abdominocenteses were repeated, and cytological examinations of the fluids were all negative for malignant cells. We suspected pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome, and bilateral oophorectomies were performed after thorough informed consent. The patient’s postoperative condition improved rapidly after surgery. We conclude that pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis of massive or rapidly increasing ascites and pleural effusion associated with large or rapidly enlarging ovarian tumors.

Keywords: Pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome; Colon cancer; Ascites; Pleural effusion; Ovarian metastasis

Core tip: Pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome associated with colorectal cancer is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of this syndrome secondary to metachronous ovarian metastases from transverse colon cancer. This patient complained of progressive abdominal distention and dyspnea preoperatively, but her postoperative condition improved rapidly after bilateral oophorectomies. We conclude that pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis of massive or rapidly increasing ascites and pleural effusion associated with large or rapidly enlarging ovarian tumors.