Prostate cancer laparoscopic port site metastasis: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic port site metastases are a rare but clinically important cause of biochemically recurrent prostate adenocarcinoma. C-11 choline, among other prostate-specific positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers, has improved radiologist confidence in these otherwise difficult-to-detect sites of recurrence. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 62-year-old male presented with biochemically recurrent prostate adenocarcinoma after undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy 5 years earlier. DIAGNOSIS: C-11 choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) demonstrated a choline-avid soft tissue nodule associated with a laparoscopic port site in the right rectus abdominis muscle, with correlative findings on prior magnetic resonance imaging, and biopsy confirming a prostate adenocarcinoma metastasis. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was initiated on chemohormonal therapy. OUTCOMES: His prostate-specific antigen (PSA) became undetectable following chemohormonal therapy. A follow-up C-11 choline PET/CT demonstrated complete resolution of prior abnormal radiotracer activity in the right rectus abdominis muscle. LESSONS: Port site metastases in prostate adenocarcinoma are rare; however, those who treat prostate cancer patients should be aware of this phenomenon as the number of minimally invasive oncologic procedures increase. C-11 choline PET, among other prostate-specific PET probes, has become an important tool in evaluating patients with biochemically recurrent prostate adenocarcinoma, identifying site-specific metastases in a majority of patients.