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Kruckenburg’s Tumor

Other Known Aliases – none

Definition – secondary ovarian malignancy

Clinical Significance – Most commonly arising from a gastric adenocarcinoma, but can occur from any metastatic cancer. 80% are bilateral and commonly manifest as pelvic pain, bloating, ascites, or dysparunea. Occasionaly, these tumor can be hormone producing and cause abnormal menstrual bleeding, hirsuitism, or virilization.

History – Named after Friedrich Ernst Krukenberg (1871-1946), who was a German physician and received his medical doctorate from the University of Marburg.  He was actually studying to become a ophthalmologist, when he happend to be spending time in the pathology lab under Felix Marchand.  It was in this department that Krukenberg described a fibrosarcoma of the ovary (using sections from tumors Marchand had found in 1879) and published his findings in an article entitled “Über das Fibrosarcoma ovarii mucocellulare (carcinomatodes)” in 1896 at the age of 25 as part of his doctoral thesis. He spent the rest of career in his hometown of Halle, Germany practicing as a ophthalmologist.

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References

1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
5. Up To Date. www.uptodate.com
6. F. E. Krukenberg. Über das Fibrosarcoma ovarii mucocellulare (carcinomatodes).  Archiv für Gynäkologie. 1896;50:287-321.