Stage III gastric adenocarcinoma later spreads to the gingiva and responds to local treatment

This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance

Stage at diagnosis
Stage IV
Subtype
Adenocarcinoma
Biomarkers
HER2-negative
Sex
Male
Spread to
gingiva
Treatment
surgery, chemotherapy and radiation
Outcome
Stable Disease

Treatment course, step by step

  1. Underwent radical total gastrectomy for Stage III gastric adenocarcinoma.
  2. Received 4 cycles of postoperative oxaliplatin plus tegafur chemotherapy.
  3. About 29 months later, biopsy confirmed gingival metastasis.
  4. Received radiotherapy to the gingival metastasis with 4 cycles of raltitrexed chemotherapy.

What happened, in summary

A 75-year-old man developed a painless enlarging lump on his upper gingiva about 29 months after radical total gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma. The original stomach tumor had been poorly differentiated, HER2-negative and classified as Stage III, with 2 of 18 lymph nodes involved. After surgery, he had received 4 cycles of oxaliplatin plus tegafur chemotherapy.

The gingival lesion was initially thought to be a benign dental growth, but it continued to enlarge. PET-CT showed activity in the gingiva and also a suspicious left adrenal lesion. Biopsy of the gingival mass confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma consistent with the patient’s gastric cancer; the metastatic tissue was also HER2-negative.

He received radiotherapy to the gingival metastasis together with sequential raltitrexed chemotherapy. After radiotherapy and 4 chemotherapy cycles, the gingival mass disappeared and his tumor marker level decreased. The disease remained stable through March 2017, and follow-up was continuing.

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This is a lay summary of an account first published by PMC / PubMed Central. Read the original in full

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These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer

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