Inexplicable Abdominal Pain in a Patient with Advanced Recurrent Osteogenic Sarcoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Abdominal pain is one of the most common causes of emergency department visits. Comprehensive patient assessment is required to identify the cause of abdominal pain. The origin of abdominal pain can be intra-abdominal or extra-abdominal. The majority of the cases with abdominal pain will have typical symptoms, suggesting intra-abdominal pain. A small subset of patients has atypical symptoms suggesting an extra-abdominal cause for the pain. Reports suggest that patients who presents with pain in the abdomen have the primary aetiology from the spinal column. This case report presents a patient with abdominal pain in advanced, recurrent Osteogenic Sarcoma (OGS) with spinal metastasis as the primary aetiology. Compression of nerve roots due to spinal bony metastasis lead to abdominal pain in the present case. Even though it was of spinal origin, clinically it micmicked to be of abdominal origin, so oncologists have to be vigilant in considering the rare causes of abdominal pain. Detailed history and clinical examination of the patients is ideal approach to identify the cause.