Axillary nodal metastasis in ovarian cancer: a report of three cases and review of literature

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer represents a major global health burden that is rarely associated with distant metastasis. Axillary lymph node metastasis from ovarian cancer is rare and is reported only in few case reports in literature. Case presentation: We report three cases of ovarian carcinoma associated with axillary lymph node metastasis as well as a brief literature review. The pathologic subtype in one case was malignant mixed Mullerian tumor, while the other two cases were high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Axillary nodal metastasis was reported as a synchronous event in one case, while it was reported as recurrence events in the other two cases. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware of this uncommon mode of metastasis in ovarian cancer cases. Multi-disciplinary discussion is crucial in the management of these cases to offer them the best suitable treatment.