Placental, hepatic, and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma during pregnancy: A case report

Abstract

The occurrence of coexisting cancer in pregnant women is not a common phenomenon. It complicates approximately 1 in 1000 to 1500 pregnancies. We present a multiparous woman aged 27 years in her 28th week of pregnancy who was admitted to our clinic with right upper quadrant pain and was finally revealed to have multiple metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to metastasize both to the placenta and multiple maternal sites (liver, supraclavicular, para-aortic lymph nodes) in a pregnant patient. Unpredictable metastases to the placenta may be encountered and may even lead to definitive diagnosis, as in our case. Therefore, the placenta in any patient with known malignancy should be sent for pathologic evaluation.