Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary site (SC CUP) is a rare malignant
tumor, and its histogenesis and appropriate treatment are unclear. To the best of our knowledge, this type of
carcinoma with abdominal wall lesions as the primary presenting symptom 3 months after laparoscopic surgery, has not been previously described in the literature. In the present study, a postmenopausal 54-year-old female patient was diagnosed with
pain from the right abdominal
puncture site 3 months after laparoscopic unilateral left
salpingo-oophorectomy at a local hospital, at which time the left ovary and Fallopian tube were free of malignant
tumor. Computed tomography (CT) imaging showed a subcutaneous nodule with a size of 6.2×3.3 cm. A wide excision of the lesion with safety margins and repair of the abdominal wall was performed, and the histopathological results and various investigations lead to the diagnosis of metastatic well-differentiated SC CUP. The patient underwent three surgeries and eight cycles of
Taxol and
cisplatin/
carboplatin chemotherapy, and received a total of 10.8 Gy palliative radiation. However, the patient succumbed to intestinal
bleeding,
thrombocytopenia and
multiple organ failure with pelvic recurrence and liver
metastases at 10 months post-diagnosis. The prognosis of SC CUP, particularly with multiple
metastases, is extremely poor. Although
chemotherapy, surgery and
radiotherapy have a certain role in the treatment, no regimen has been established as a standard
therapy and
palliative care could be recommended.