Primary and metastatic mucinous adenocarcinomas in the ovaries: incidence in routine practice with a new approach to improve intraoperative diagnosis

Mucinous carcinomas are reported to comprise 6-25% of ovarian carcinomas (mean 12%), but recent refinements in the interpretation of histologic features of noninvasive and metastatic mucinous carcinomas suggest that this may be an overestimate. Mucinous carcinomas in the ovaries are commonly metastatic, but the proportion of primary versus metastatic mucinous carcinomas in unselected patients is unknown. To evaluate the histologic-type distribution of ovarian surface epithelial carcinomas, a consecutive series of 124 ovarian carcinomas was reviewed using uniform current criteria. Microinvasive and intraepithelial carcinomas and carcinomas arising in germ cell and stromal tumors were excluded. To evaluate the proportions of primary and metastatic tumors among the mucinous carcinomas, 52 consecutive mucinous carcinomas from nonreferral patients were reviewed. Three of 124 primary ovarian carcinomas were pure mucinous carcinomas (2.4%). Among 52 cases of mucinous carcinomas in the ovaries, 40 (77%) were metastatic and 12 (23%) were primary. Among the 12 primary mucinous tumors, three were atypical proliferative mucinous tumors with microinvasion and nine were invasive mucinous carcinomas. Among the 40 metastatic mucinous tumors, 18 (45%) were from the gastrointestinal tract, 8 (20%) were pancreatic, 7 (18%) were gynecologic malignancies (5 cervical, 2 endometrial), 3 (8%) were from the breast, and 4 (10%) were of unknown primary site. A simple rule that classifies all bilateral mucinous carcinomas as metastatic, unilateral mucinous carcinomas <10 cm as metastatic, and unilateral mucinous carcinomas >or=10 cm as primary correctly classified 90% of the neoplasms. This algorithm for distinguishing primary and metastatic mucinous carcinomas in the ovary can be used at the time of intraoperative consultation to guide surgical management. After careful exclusion of noninvasive, microinvasive, and metastatic tumors, pure mucinous adenocarcinoma primary in the ovary appears to be substantially less common than previously reported.

Mutations of the BAK gene are infrequent in advanced gastric adenocarcinomas in Koreans

The bcl-2 homologue antagonist/killer (BAK) is a potently apoptosis-inducing gene and plays an important role in modulating apoptosis in epithelial cells. We have analyzed the mutation of the entire coding region of BAK gene in 107 Korean advanced gastric adenocarcinomas by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and sequencing. Homozygous deletions were not found in these samples. Only three cases of 107 gastric adenocarcinomas (2.8%) exhibited the BAK mutations. Two of them exhibited missense mutations and the remaining one had a silent mutation. All of these mutations were exclusively detected in exon 2. Mutations in the BAK gene were observed only in advanced gastric adenocarcinomas with extensive metastases of regional lymph nodes. The data presented here suggest that the mutations of BAK gene rarely occurred in advanced gastric adenocarcinomas.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: did it exist prior to 1980?

INTRODUCTION

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas was first reported in 1982. It is not clear whether the appearance of this neoplasm is a new epidemic or an old disease previously overlooked.

AIM

To determine whether IPMN existed as a separate entity before 1982.

METHODOLOGY

We reviewed our pathology reports from all cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 1960 and 1980. Pathologic specimens with descriptors--"mucinous," "cystic," or "papillary"--underwent histologic reexamination. Medical records for patients given a new diagnosis of IPMN from this pathologic review were assessed.

RESULTS

Eighty-four of more than 4,000 pathology reports reviewed contained a key word triggering histologic review. IPMN was identified in 21 patients. Patients had a mean age of 63 years (range, 44-77 years) with symptoms present for a mean of 76 months (median, 15 months; range, 1-516 months). Reported symptoms were abdominal pain in 17, jaundice in 13, weight loss in 12, and pancreatic insufficiency in 7 patients. On pathologic review, the in situ component was graded as adenoma in 4, borderline in 4, and carcinoma in 13. Parenchymal invasion was present in 11/21 (52%). Excluding four postoperative mortalities, mean time to death was 58 months (median, 15 months; range, 2-264 months). Seven patients died of IPMN, 4 of other causes without evidence of recurrence, and 6 of unknown causes.

CONCLUSIONS

IPMN existed in its current known form prior to 1982. Our study cannot determine whether the prevalence or incidence has changed since that time.

Early ovarian cancer: what is the staging impact of retroperitoneal node sampling?

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive surgical staging of apparent early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer includes peritoneal washings, biopsies, and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Unresolved is the relative frequency or importance of the lymph node dissection.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To determine the site(s) of microscopic metastatic disease in women undergoing a comprehensive staging for apparent early-stage cancer of the ovary; (2) to identify those women with metastases in the retroperitoneal lymph nodes alone.

METHODS

Between 1985 and 2000, we reviewed all records of women at cancer centres in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Saskatoon who had undergone a "staging laparotomy" for an apparent early-stage IA epithelial cancer of the ovary. Histology, tumour grade, initial and final surgical stage, and the site(s) of metastatic disease were recorded for all cases.

RESULTS

Forty-three of the 128 women (34%) had a final surgical stage of II or III. Sixteen women had positive pelvic biopsies, while 19 had microscopic upper abdominal disease. Eight women had positive retroperitoneal nodes, and in only 2 of these women, disease was found in the retroperitoneal nodes alone. In the 8 women with nodal disease, 5 had grade 3 tumours and 6 had serous histology tumours.

CONCLUSION

Comprehensive staging is important to identify women with metastatic disease. Solitary nodal metastases are predominantly found in grade 3 and serous tumours.

Surgery of cystic neoplasms

Neoplastic cysts of the pancreas have been recognized since the nineteenth century, and although differences between neoplastic and proliferative cysts were acknowledged, they were treated similarly, first by marsupialization and later by internal drainage. Increased awareness of the malignant potential of neoplastic cysts, as well as advances in surgical techniques, made excision the preferred treatment for these lesions as early as the 1940s, but errors in diagnosis were frequent, and even to this date, continue to account for cases of pancreatic cystic tumors treated by drainage.

Diagnosis and fine needle aspiration of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor by endoscopic ultrasound

A recently established clinical entity, intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas embraces a spectrum of pathology ranging from benign to malignant disease. IPMT must be differentiated from other cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, as well as inflammatory cystic lesions. As the pancreas lies in close proximity to the gastric and duodenal walls, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is ideally suited for imaging the pancreas. Additionally, EUS facilitates fine needle aspiration of pancreatic cysts and/or a dilated pancreatic duct for cytologic and tumor marker analysis. This article presents a brief history of IPMT, differential diagnosis, current imaging modalities, findings of cytologic and tumor marker analysis, prognosis, and treatment strategy. Special emphasis is dedicated to the role of EUS, as well as EUS with fine needle aspiration.

Cigarette smoking and the risk of mucinous and nonmucinous epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

The association between cigarette smoking and ovarian cancer may vary according to the histologic type of tumor.

METHODS

We examined cigarette smoking as a risk factor for both mucinous and nonmucinous tumors in a population-based case-control study comparing 767 incident cases of epithelial ovarian cancer with 1,367 community controls frequency matched to cases by age and race.

RESULTS

Smoking was associated with mucinous tumors (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-2.9) but not with nonmucinous tumors (OR = 1.1; CI = 0.9-1.3). Furthermore, the odds ratios for smokers with mucinous tumors increased with increasing pack-years of smoking (OR = 1.0, 1.9, and 2.7 for <5, 5-24, and > 24+ pack-years, respectively; P for trend = 0.01)

CONCLUSIONS

Cigarette smoking appears to be a risk factor for mucinous but not for nonmucinous tumors.

Hormone replacement therapy and the risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer in Swedish women

BACKGROUND

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), which is mainly used to relieve climacteric symptoms, increases a woman's risk for uterine endometrial cancer and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Estrogens are often combined with progestins in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to reduce the risk of uterine endometrial cancer. Data on the association between HRT including progestins and EOC risk are limited. This nationwide case-control study examined EOC risk in relation to HRT regimens with sequentially added progestins (HRTsp) and continuously added progestins (HRTcp).

METHODS

Between 1993 and 1995, we enrolled 655 histologically verified incident case patients with EOC and 3899 randomly selected population controls, all 50-74 years of age. Data on HRT use were collected through mailed questionnaires. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by the use of unconditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

Risks of EOC were elevated among ever users as compared with never users of both ERT (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.02 to 2.00) and HRTsp (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.15 to 2.05); risks were elevated for serous, mucinous, and endometrioid subtypes. For all EOC types combined, the greatest risk increases were seen with hormone use exceeding 10 years. Ever use of HRTcp was not associated with increased EOC risk relative to HRTcp never use (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.43). The risk of EOC was elevated among HRTsp ever users as compared with HRTcp ever users (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.05 to 3.01). ORs for EOC after ever use of low-potency estrogens were 1.18 (95% CI = 0.89 to 1.55) for oral and 1.33 (95% CI = 1.03 to 1.72) for vaginal applications, but no relationship was seen between EOC risk and duration of use.

CONCLUSION

Ever users of ERT and HRTsp but not HRTcp may be at increased risk of EOC.

Pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast: is axillary staging necessary?

BACKGROUND

Mucinous carcinoma of the breast (MCB) may be associated with a low risk of axillary metastases.

METHODS

To evaluate the incidence of axillary nodal metastasis in MCB, a review of all cases from January 1990 to July 2000 was performed. Pure MCB was defined as all tumor cells being completely surrounded by mucin. Patient demographics, tumor size, estrogen receptor status, total number of dissected lymph nodes, and incidence of nodal metastasis were studied. Deeper sections on the lymph nodes from the pure tumors were performed and stained with low-molecular cytokeratin.

RESULTS

Nineteen cases of pure MCB and 41 cases of mixed MCB were identified. Patients with pure MCB were older than those with mixed MCB. Tumor size and estrogen receptor status showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. None of the patients with pure MCB demonstrated lymph node metastases, whereas 12 of 41 cases with mixed MCB demonstrated metastatic lymph node involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Because pure MCB seems unlikely to metastasize, axillary lymph node staging in these patients may not be necessary. The presence of lymph node metastases strongly indicates the presence of a mixed MCB.

Morphological types of breast cancer in family members and multiple primary tumours: is morphology genetically determined?

BACKGROUND

We conducted the present study to determine whether breast cancer morphology is genetically determined.

METHODS

Using the nationwide Swedish Family Cancer Database, which includes data on 10.2 million individuals and over 25,000 morphology-specific breast cancers, we followed morphological types in familial cancers between mothers and daughters and between sisters. Additionally, we recorded morphological data in women who presented with two primary breast cancers and in those who presented with an invasive and in situ breast cancer. We used kappa statistics to examine the association between genetics and morphology. A kappa value of 0 indicates that the process is random and a value of 1 indicates that it is completely determined (i.e. genetic); values between 0.40 and 0.60 are considered to indicate a moderately determined process.

RESULTS

The study sample included a total of 25,730 first and 3394 second invasive breast cancers, and 2990 in situ breast cancers. Ductal, lobular, tubuloductal and comedo were the most common invasive types. We identified 164 mother-daughter pairs with breast cancer of a defined morphology, yielding a low kappa value of 0.08. Among 100 sister pairs the kappa value was 0.002. In individuals with two primary breast cancers the kappa values were 0.22 and 0.01 for two invasive and in situ-invasive pairs, respectively. However, for a tumour with a subsequent tumour detected in the contralateral breast less than 1 year later the kappa value was 0.47.

CONCLUSION

The data suggest that breast cancer morphology is not genetically determined. However, because of mixed morphologies and the overwhelming prevalence of ductal morphology, the results for rare morphologies should be interpreted with caution.

Cigarette smoking and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (Australia)

OBJECTIVES

We studied the association between cigarette smoking and ovarian cancer in a population-based case control study.

METHODS

A total of 794 women with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer who were aged 18-79 years and resident in one of three Australian states were interviewed, together with 855 controls aged 18-79 years selected at random from the electoral roll from the same states. Information was obtained about cigarette smoking and other factors including age, parity, oral contraceptive use, and reproductive factors. We estimated the relative risk of ovarian cancer associated with cigarette smoking, accounting for histologic type, using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors.

RESULTS

Women who had ever smoked cigarettes were more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who had never smoked (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-1.9). Risk was greater for ovarian cancers of borderline malignancy (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.4-4.1) than for invasive tumors (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.2-2.4) and the histologic subtype most strongly associated overall was the mucinous subtype among both current smokers (OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.8-5.7) and past smokers (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.3-3.9).

CONCLUSIONS

These data extend recent findings and suggest that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for ovarian cancer, especially mucinous and borderline mucinous types. From a public health viewpoint, this is one of the few reports of a potentially avoidable risk factor for ovarian cancer.

Detection of mutated K12-ras in histologically negative lymph nodes as an indicator of poor prognosis in stage II colorectal cancer

Stage II colorectal carcinoma is characterized by negative lymph node pathology as determined by conventional microscopic examination. These patients generally do not receive adjuvant therapy although 20%-30% will die from metastatic disease. To determine whether K-ras mutations at codon 12 could be used as a sensitive indicator of occult lymph node metastasis in stage II colon carcinoma, a retrospective study was performed using restriction endonuclease-mediated selective polymerase chain reaction (REMS-PCR) amplification. Of 106 colonic tumors analyzed, 46 were identified as positive for a K12-ras mutation in the primary tumor. Multiple lymph node samples from 38 of these 46 patients were examined by a sensitive nested PCR protocol for the presence of a K12-ras mutation. Of these 38 patients, 14 had 1 or more positive lymph nodes by PCR (37%) and 24 were negative for the mutation (63%). Of the 14 patients with a K12-ras mutation detected in lymph nodes, 8 died of the disease within 5 years (57%) compared to only 4 of the 24 patients with ras-negative lymph nodes (17%). The difference in time to death from disease, stratified using K12-ras status of lymph nodes, was statistically significant (P = 0.036; log-rank test). These results suggest K-ras mutation status of lymph nodes in patients with stage II colon cancer might identify a subgroup of patients who are more likely to develop recurrent and/or metastatic disease and benefit from adjuvant therapy. Larger studies are indicated to determine whether detection of K-ras mutation positivity in histologically negative lymph nodes portends a poor prognosis and to determine whether more aggressive use of adjuvant therapy is warranted.

Colorectal carcinoma in ulcerative colitis is decreasing in Scandinavian countries

A total of 31 cases with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and colorectal carcinoma were retrieved from the files of the Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm between 1951 and 1998. Sections from 16 colectomy specimens (operable cases) and 15 biopsies obtained at laparotomy (inoperable cases), were available for the study. Of the 31 patients reported here, 22 (71%) were 49 years of age or younger at the time of surgery for carcinoma. In comparison only 47 (5.5 %) of the 855 colorectal carcinomas without UC reported in the Stockholm area in 1990 were 49years of age oryounger. When this hospital was a referral Center (1951 through 1969) 18 cases of carcinoma in UC were operated between 1951 and 1960 (1.8 patients/year), but only 4 between 1961 and 1969 (0.44 patients/year). During the surveillance period of 29 years (1970 to March 1998) only 9 patients (0.31 cases/year) were found to have carcinoma complicating UC. Notably, 8 of the 9 patients were operated on between 1970 and December 1989 (0.42 patients/year), but only one case between January 1990 and March 1998 (0.11 patients/year). The data presented indicate that the frequency of carcinoma cases in pancolitics has decreased at this hospital, not only during the referral period, from 1.8 patients/year during the 50's to 0.40 patients/year during the 60's, but also during the surveillance period (from 0.44 patients/year/during the 70's and 80's to 0.11 patients/year between 1990 and March 1998). This, despite the incidence of UC in the Stockholm County remained stable for the past 40 years (4.2 to 5 patients/10(5) inhabitants) and that the population in the Stockholm County has steady increased since 1950. A review of the present literature indicated that the ris for colorectal carcinoma in pancolitics is presently decreasing, not only in Sweden but also in other Scandinavian countries.

Intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor of the pancreas: a historical review of the nomenclature and recent controversy

A number of studies on mucin-producing cystic neoplasm of the pancreas have been reported since the first report of the tumor in 1982. There has been some controversy about nomenclatures and clinicopathologic entities of mucin-producing cystic tumor, mucinous cystic tumor, and intraductal papillary tumor of the pancreas. In 1996 and 1997, new classifications of pancreatic neoplasms were published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). According to the new WHO and AFIP classifications, mucin-producing cystic neoplasm of the pancreas corresponds mainly to intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor and mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas. and these two diseases are independent conditions. Intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor is regarded as a unique clinical entity, but controversy remains about the term and clinicopathologic entity. Some confusion and problems remain betweeen the two lesions. In this review, we review their historical background, terminology, WHO and AFIP classification, and problems with classification.

[Imaging of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas: literature review]

Intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor (IPMT) is defined as a syndrome consisting of dilatation of the main pancreatic duct and/or branch ducts associated with mucin overproduction. The purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of different imaging techniques (CT, EUS, ERCP) for determination of tumor invasion and pancreatic extension. Diagnosis often is delayed because it is confused with chronic pancreatitis or cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. It is difficult to rule out invasive malignancy. MRCP can be an essential imaging modality because it is a non-invasive technique. Intraductal ultrasound or pancreatoscopy could become in the future an additional useful preoperative procedure. A high frequency of invasive carcinoma in patients operated for pancreatic IPMT is observed. Surgical resection should be extended until a normal tissue margin is encountered.

Malignancy in endometriosis: frequency and comparison of ovarian and extraovarian types

One thousand consecutive cases of surgically proven endometriosis were reviewed to evaluate the frequency and types of pelvic cancers that were associated with ovarian and extraovarian endometriosis. The frequency and types of histologic abnormalities present in the eutopic endometrium when cancers were noted in endometriosis were also evaluated. In the large subset of cases for which the authors were the primary pathologists and all foci of endometriosis were recorded, the frequency of malignancy was 10.8%. In contrast, the frequency was only 3.2% in cases diagnosed by others previously in our institution. Cancers were more commonly found in ovaries when endometriosis was present in that ovary (5%) compared to when endometriosis was present at other sites (1%). Clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas were the malignancies most commonly seen in ovaries containing endometriosis, while clear cell adenocarcinoma and adenosarcoma were most commonly seen in conjunction with extraovarian endometriosis. The association of endometriosis with endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma was much stronger than that of serous and mucinous tumors (p < .01). Concurrent endometrial pathology was commonly seen in cases of malignant transformation of endometriosis (32% of cases).

Colorectal cancer in children: epidemiologic aspects

Despite many similarities to colorectal cancer in adults, the rare childhood form has some peculiarities. Childhood mortality is greater among Negroes than Caucasians, particularly in boys, reflecting the rising incidence of this tumor in the young Negro population. In addition, the percentage of childhood cases with precancerous diseases (polyposis, colitis) appears greater than in adults. Most striking is the high percentage of mucin-producing tumors in young people with colorectal cancer. The mucoid tumors tend to occur after the age of 10 years, whereas younger children are more likely to develop non-mucoid carcinoma in an adenomatous polyp.

Prevalence of endometriosis in ovarian cancer

Endometriosis may be the precursor of clear cell or endometrioid ovarian cancer. In this review, we focus on the prevalence of endometriosis in ovarian cancer and related clinical and epidemiological issues. According to 15 published reports, the rank order of the prevalence of endometriosis in each histologic type was clear cell (39.2%) > endometrioid (21.2%) > serous (3.3%) > mucinous type (3.0%). The high prevalence of endometriosis in clear cell and endometrioid types is a consistent finding in Japan and western countries. However, the incidence of the clear cell type is much higher (15-20% vs. 7-8%), and that of the endometrioid type is lower (7-16% vs. 18-26%), in Japan compared with western countries. This review is also concerned with the relationship between the presence of ovarian endometriosis and clinical features such as age, parity, menopausal status, clinical stage, and survival in ovarian cancer patients.

Colorectal cancer in children: case report and review of literature

Compared to adults, colorectal carcinoma is rare in children and has poorer prognosis, due to delay in diagnosis, advanced stage at presentation and aggressive natural history. We describe a case of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the rectum in a eleven year old boy and review the literature regarding colorectal cancer in children. A high index of suspicion and an early diagnosis may lead to an improvement in the dismal prognosis of this disease in children.

Synchronous cardiac myxoma and colorectal cancer: a case report

The occurrence of synchronous but unrelated cardiac and colorectal tumors is extremely rare. We present the case of a 56-year-old man who had a left atrial cardiac myxoma that nearly obstructed the mitral valve outflow tract and an unrelated, synchronous colorectal-vesicle carcinoma that nearly obstructed the lumen of the intestine. The patient underwent emergency resection of the cardiac mass under cardiopulmonary bypass and underwent successful resection of the colorectal mass 2 weeks later Two years after these operations, the patient is well with no recurrence of either tumor Synchronous tumors, particularly when one of them involves the heart, require aggressive surgical treatment at multiple sites in order for the patient to survive.