Ovarian cancer recurrence manifested as a solitary intraluminal mass in ileum

Background: Most advanced ovarian cancer cases experience recurrence following primary treatment. While the majority of recurrences manifest within the peritoneal cavity or lymph nodes. Case: A rare case was reported where ovarian cancer recurred as a solitary mass within the ileal (small intestine) lumen after the patient achieving complete remission for more than one year. The medical records, including surgical findings and images, of a 49-year-old woman with recurrent ovarian endometrioid carcinoma were reviewed. The patient had initially undergone debulking surgery in 2020, with pathology confirming ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, right pelvic lymph node metastasis, and The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIIC. After completing six courses of chemotherapy, the patient achieved complete remission. However, the patient continued experiencing frequent dyspepsia and black stool, despite no obvious elevation in tumor markers. Subsequent imaging revealed a right pelvic mass lesion months later. Exploratory laparotomy then found a solitary tumor mass within the ileal lumen, representing a recurrence of the metastatic endometrioid carcinoma. Conclusions: Clinicians should also consider less common sites of recurrence or metastasis, such as the intestinal lumen, when patients present with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms.