Abstract

Krukenberg tumor (KT) is a rare desease characterized by a secondary ovarian neoplasm to a gastrointestinal tract tumor, it is frequently bilateral, voluminous and assymptomatic. It corresponds from 1% to 5% of all ovarians tumours that affect women in their fourth decade. Histologically it is like signet ring cells with reactive and intense non neoplasic stromal proliferation. Few cases of functional KT are related, and association with virilization during pregnancy is rare. The authors report one case of a female patient, 35 years old, in the second quater of pregnancy, with hirsurtism, acne, masculine voice and systemic arterial hypertension. Prenatal ultrasonography showed a voluminous tumor on the left ovary. She was then submited to cesarian section and the newborn male was normal. A laparotomy to take off the tumor on the left ovary revealed peritoneal carcinomatous, ascites, liver metastasis and lesion on the small gastric curvature. Histologic test of the ovarian tumor and gastric biopys showed adenocarcinoma with little differenciated signe ring cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy had been done, with no answer. The patient died eight months after the diagnosis.

Key words: Ovary neoplasm, Krukenberg tumor, signet ring cells, gastraintestinal cancer.