Sister Mary Joseph Nodule

 

The Sister Mary Joseph nodule is a classic clinical sign referring to a palpable nodule at the umbilicus caused by metastatic cancer, usually from intra-abdominal or pelvic malignancies. 

 

 

 

The term is named after Sister Mary Joseph Dempsey (1856–1939). She was a surgical assistant to William J. Mayo at the Mayo Clinic. While assisting in surgeries, she observed a link between umbilical nodules and advanced intra-abdominal cancers..She noted that patients with these nodules often had poor prognosis. 

 

 

 

 

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