Abstract
Controversies exist regarding the surgical treatment of the ovaries in women with primary colorectal cancer. A review of the authors' experience and the surgical literature reveals an incidence of ovarian metastases from colorectal cancer of approximately 6 percent. This problem may occur somewhat more frequently in premenopausal women. Resection of the ovaries at the time of colectomy is unlikely to affect survival. Removal of the ovaries at the time of bowel resection will prevent repeat laparotomy to resect an ovarian mass in approximately 2 percent of women with large bowel cancer. Oophorectomy should be performed in all postmenopausal females at the time of primary resection. Oophorectomy should be performed in premenopausal women if any gross abnormality of the ovary is detected or if peritoneal implants are seen at the time of primary resection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
DiSaia PJ, Creasman WT. Clinical gynecologic oncology. St. Louis: CV Mosby 1984:387–90.
Krukenberg F. Ueber das fibrosarcoma ovarii mucocellulare (carcinomatodes). Arch Gynak 1896;50:287.
Schlagenhaufer F. Ueber das metastatische Ovarialkarzmon nach Krebs des magens, darmes und anderer Bauchorgane. Monatsschr Geburtsh Gynak 1902;15:485.
Thomas R, Barnhill D, Worsham F, Hoskins W. Krukenberg tumor of the ovary from an occult appendiceal primary: case report and literature review. Obstet Gynecol 1985;65:95S-8S.
Woodruff JD, Novak ER. The Krukenberg tumor: study of 48 cases from the Ovarian Tumor Registry. Obstet Gynecol 1960;15:351–60.
Scully RE, Richardson GS. Luteinization of the stroma of metastatic cancer involving the ovary and its endocrine significance. Cancer 1961;14:827–40.
Wheelock MC, Putong P. Ovarian metastases from adenocarcinomas of colon and rectum. Obstet Gynecol 1959;14:291–5.
Abrams HL, Spiro R, Goldstein N. Metastases in carcinoma: analysis of 1000 autopsied cases. Cancer 1950;3:74–85.
Burt CA. Prophylactic oophorectomy with resection of the large bowel for cancer. Am J Surg 1951;82:571–7.
Deddish MR. Surgical procedures for carcinoma of the left colon and rectum, with 5-year end results following abdominopelvic dissection of lymph nodes. Am J Surg 1960;99:188–91.
Harcourt KF, Dennis DL. Laparotomy for“Ovarian tumors” in unsuspected carcinoma of the colon. Cancer 1968;21:1244–6.
MacKeigan JM, Ferguson JA. Prophylactic oophorectomy and colorectal cancer in premenopausal patients. Dis Colon Rectum 1979;22:401–5.
Blamey SL, McDerott FT, Pihl E, Hughes ES. Resected ovarian recurrence from colorectal adencocarcinoma: a study of 13 cases. Dis Colon Rectum 1981;24:272–5.
Blamey S, McDermott F, Pihl E, Price AB, Milne BJ, Hughes E. Ovarian involvement in adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1981;153:42–4.
Cutait R, Lesser ML, Enker WE. Prophylactic oophorectomy in surgery for larger-bowel cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 1983;26:6–11.
Graffner HO, Alm PO, Oscarson JE. Prophylactic oophorectomy in colorectal carcinoma. Am J Surg 1983;146:233–5.
Odariuk TS, Sevostjanov SI, Smesova RV. Metastatic tumors of the ovaries in patients with a carcinoma of the rectum. Vestn Khir 1981;126:42.
Rendleman DF, Gilchrist RK. Indications for oophorectomy in carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1959;109:364–6.
Woodruff JD, Murthy YS, Bhaskar TN, Bordbar F, Tseng SS. Metastatic ovarian tumors. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1970;107:202–9.
Antoniades K, Spector HB, Hecksher RH Jr. Prophylactic oophorectomy in conjunction with large-bowel resectin for cancer: report of two cases. Dis Colon Rectum 1977;20:506–10.
Herrera LO, Ledesma EJ, Natarajan N, Lopez GE, Tsukada Y, Mittelman A. Metachronous ovarian metastases from adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1982;154:531–3.
Sherman LF, Tenner RJ, Chadbourn WA. Prophylactic oophorectomy with carcinoma of the rectum and colon. Dis Colon Rectum 1964;7:517–20.
Burt CA. Carcinoma of the ovaries secondary to cancer of the colon and rectum. Dis Colon Rectum 1960;3:352–7.
Webb MJ, Decker DG, Mussey E. Cancer metastatic to the ovary: factors influencing survival. Obstet Gynecol 1975;45:391–6.
Alford TC, Do HM, Geelhoed GW, Tsangaris NT, Lippman ME. Steroid hormone receptors in human colon cancers. Cancer 1979;43:980–4.
Anderson WA. Pathology. St. Louis: CV Mosby, 1961:1106.
Schenk F. Sitzenfrey Z Geburt, 1907:60:392.
Stearns MW Jr, Deddish MR. Five-year results of abdominopelvic lymph node dissection for carcinoma of the rectum. Dis Colon Rectum 1959;2:169–72.
Knoepp LF Jr, Ray JE, Overby I. Ovarian metastases from colorectal carcinoma. Dis Colon Rectum 1973;16:305–11.
O'Brien PH, Newton BB, Metcalf JS, Rittenbury MS. Oophorectomy in women with carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1981;153:827–30.
Johansson H. Clinical aspects of metastatic ovarian cancer of extragenital origin. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1960;39:681–97.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Birnkrant, A., Sampson, J. & Sugarbaker, P.H. Ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 29, 767–771 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555331
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555331