Question

A 60 year old woman with advanced carcinoma of the cervix with extension into left pelvic wall presents with acute episode where her left leg becomes very edematous, cyanotic, and painful. What diagnosis would you suspect?

Answer 1

The symptoms of a 60-year-old woman with advanced cervical cancer involving the left leg suggest deep vein thrombosis, possibly complicated by phlegmasia cerulea dolens, a severe form of DVT caused by a blood clot obstructing venous outflow.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical presentation of a 60 year old woman with advanced carcinoma of the cervix that now involves acute onset of edema, cyanosis, and pain in her left leg, especially with the known extension into the left pelvic wall, suggests the possibility of a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), possibly with an associated complication such as phlegmasia cerulea dolens. This is a severe form of DVT that can occur when a blood clot in a vein causes significant obstruction of venous outflow, leading to a drastic reduction in arterial inflow. The situation is worsened by the fact that the patient's cancer has spread to the pelvic wall, which could further compress blood vessels and aggravate venous stasis and thrombosis.