Krukenberg tumor
Meaning of Krukenberg tumor: Cancer found in the ovary that started in the stomach, and a sign the original disease has already traveled.
Definition of Krukenberg tumor
A Krukenberg tumor is a cancer in the ovary that spread there from elsewhere, most often from the stomach. Under the microscope it consists of signet ring cells, so named because a droplet of mucus pushes the nucleus to one side. Both ovaries are usually affected, and its presence means the original cancer has already spread beyond its starting point.
Where does it come from?
It is always secondary, never a cancer that begins in the ovary itself.
| Original site | Notes |
|---|---|
| Stomach | The commonest source by a wide margin |
| Colon and rectum | The next most frequent |
| Appendix | Less common, often mucus-producing |
| Breast | Recognized, usually the lobular type |
What are signet ring cells?
These cells manufacture mucus and hold it in a single large droplet. The droplet swells the cell and presses the nucleus flat against the edge, producing an outline that resembles a ring with a stone. Their presence in the ovary is the feature that defines the tumor, and it points a pathologist toward the stomach as the likely origin.
Why does it matter that it is secondary?
A mass in the ovary is often assumed to be ovarian in origin, and the distinction changes everything that follows. A Krukenberg tumor is classified and treated as the original cancer, not as ovarian cancer, so a stomach primary is managed as advanced stomach cancer. It also indicates that disease has already spread, which is why the search for a primary site is part of the assessment whenever these cells are found.
How is it usually discovered?
The route varies. Sometimes the ovarian masses appear first, on a scan arranged for abdominal swelling or discomfort, and the stomach cancer is only uncovered once the pathologist reports signet ring cells. Sometimes the primary is already known and the ovaries are found to be involved during staging. Fluid in the abdomen is a frequent accompaniment. Because the ovarian deposits can grow large while the original tumor stays small and silent, the secondary disease is quite often the first thing anyone notices. Stains applied to the tissue help confirm the origin, since different sites carry different protein markers.
Used in a sentence
Bilateral ovarian masses were found to be a Krukenberg tumor arising from a gastric primary.
Good to know
A Krukenberg tumor is not ovarian cancer; it is a deposit from another primary site and is classified according to that origin.