Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule – rare umbilical cutaneous metastasis

Czech version

Authors: Markéta Polková ¹; Pavel Kabele ¹; Peter Koliba ¹; Tadios Mekonnen Asres ²; Olga Dubová ¹; Tomáš Brtnický ¹; Michal Zikán ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Gynekologicko-porodnická klinika 1. LF UK a FN Bulovka, Praha ¹; Vojenská a fakultní nemocnice v Kigali, Rwanda ²
Published in: Ceska Gynekol 2025; 90(2): 154-157
Category: Case Report
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/cccg2025154

Overview

This is a short review about a rare metastatic physical finding of abdomino-pelvic malignancies that is called Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule. It is cutaneous metastasis in the umbilical region and it was first used almost 200 years ago. Even though it is a rare finding, we should not forget it in the differential diagnosis of umbilical nodules. The article also includes two case reports.

Keywords:

Sister Mary Joseph’s nodules – skin metastases – umbilical lesion – metastatic disease

Sources

1. Tso S, Brockley J, Recica H et al. Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule: an unusual but important physical finding characteristic of widespread internal malignancy. Br J Gen Pract 2013; 63 (615): 551–552. doi: 10.3399/bjgp13X673900.

2. Touraud JP, Lentz N, Dutronc Y et al. Umbilical cutaneous metastasis (or Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule) disclosing an ovarian adenocarcinoma. Gynecol Obstet Fertil 2000; 28 (10): 719–721. doi: 10.1016/s1297-9589 (00) 00009-6.

3. Procházková M, Tomková H, Dolinská D et al. Noduly umbiliku. Stručný přehled. Čes-slov Derm 2020; 95 (4): 148–151.

4. Afanasyeva I, Gkalpakiotis S, Eis V et al. Tuhé noduly v umbilikální krajině. Dermatol praxi 2022; 16 (3): 150–152. doi: 10.36290/der. 2022.029.

5. Petch S, Sobota A, Saadeh FA. Sister Mary Joseph nodule: an unusual site for endometrioid cancer metastasis. BMJ Case Rep 2019; 12 (5): e229187. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019- 229187.

6. Gabriele R, Conte M, Egidi F et al. Umbilical metastases: current viewpoint. World J Surg Oncol 2005; 3 (1): 13. doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-3-13.

7. Majmudar B, Wiskind AK, Croft BN et al. The Sister (Mary) Joseph nodule: its significance in gynecology. Gynecol Oncol 1991; 40 (2): 152–159. doi: 10.1016/0090-8258 (91) 90108-h.

ORCID autorů

M. Polková 0009-0009-4581-1994

P. Kabele 0009-0002-7295-3954

P. Koliba 0000-0003-2204-0145

O. Dubová 0009-0006-7185-550X

M. Zikán 0000-0001-5266-8895

T. Brtnický 0000-0002-6204-1903

Doručeno/Submitted: 18. 9. 2024

Přijato/Accepted: 10. 10. 2024

MUDr. Markéta Polková

Gynekologicko-porodnická klinika

1. LF UK a FN Bulovka