Metastases to the female genital tract. Analysis of 325 cases

Isolated Vaginal Recurrence of Early-Stage Rectal Cancer Detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT

The relapses of rectal cancer are most frequently localized in the pelvis, liver, and pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes and lungs, whereas the vagina is an unusual site. We present here a 60-year-old woman presenting with lower abdominal discomfort 23 months after radical resection of rectal adenocarcinoma. An isolated, solitary, hypermetabolic mass in the right part of the vagina was detected by F-FDG PET/CT. Ultimately, the vaginal neoplasm was proved to be adenocarcinoma of rectal origin based on its shared histologic features and compatible immunostaining profile.

Analysis of Metastatic Ovarian Tumors from Extragenital Primary Sites

Aims and background

The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with metastatic ovarian tumors from extragenital primary sites.

Methods

The medical records of 75 patients were reviewed retrospectively for age at diagnosis, presenting symptoms, preoperative tumor marker levels, preoperative diagnostic workup, operative technique, intraoperative evaluation, frozen-section and pathology results, laterality of metastasis, and primary tumor site. The specific impact of metastasis from colorectal and gastric primary sites on laterality, gross features and dimensions of ovarian mass, volume of ascites and tumor marker levels was investigated.

Results

Primary sites were stomach (37.3%), colorectal region (28%), lymphoma (12%), breast (6.7%), biliary system (2.7%), appendix (1.3%) and small intestine (1.3%). It was not possible to identify the primary tumor site in 8 (10.7%) patients. Bilateral metastasis was found in 86.4% patients; 42.7% of the metastatic ovarian tumors were Krukenberg tumors; 50.7% of the ovarian masses were solid. Frozen section was confirmed by postoperative pathological results in 98% of the patients. The mean preoperative serum levels of tumor markers were 298.7 U/mL, 178 U/mL and 113.3 U/mL for CA 125, CA 19-9 and CA 15-3, respectively. CA 125 levels were above 35 U/mL in 81.3% of the patients. The presence of ascites was more frequent in ovarian tumors originating from colorectal and gastric primaries.

Conclusions

Surgery is essential for the diagnosis of the primary tumor and necessary for relief of symptoms. The identification of the primary site is required to plan adequate treatment.

Uncommon metastases of invasive lobular breast cancer to the endometrium: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Although it is known that breast cancer can metastasize to many organ sites, metastasis to the uterus is uncommon and usually occurs during widespread metastatic disease. Lobular carcinoma is not the most common histological subtypes of breast carcinoma, but it is the most frequent histologic type that causes gastrointestinal, gynecological and peritoneal metastases. The main symptoms of the uterine metastasis depend on the anatomic involvement site. Abnormal uterine bleeding is by far the most important symptom.We highlight the importance of the follow up of patient with breast cancer. A rapid endometrial sampling for confirmation of the diagnosis, should be performed when the routine gynecological follow-up revealed any abnormality. We report two original observations of endometrium metastases of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast which we detected during follow-up.

Primary breast cancer relapse as metastasis to the cervix uteri: A case report

Metastasis of non-gynaecological tumours to the cervix is a rare event, and metastasis from breast cancer is even rarer, with only a limited number of such cases reported in the literature to date. We herein report the case of an 86-year-old female patient who had undergone mastectomy and axillary lymphadenectomy for invasive ductal cell breast carcinoma 2 years prior, followed by adjuvant hormonal therapy with letrozole. During hospitalization for anemia associated with an inflammatory syndrome and abdominal pain with menorrhagia, an abdominal ultrasound examination revealed a suspicious uterine mass with irregular contours and abnormal vascularization with associated increase of the blood level of cancer antigen 15-3 to 34 kU/l. The histological and immunohistochemical analysis of a cervical biopsy sample discover a secondary lesion metastatic from the primary ductal cell breast carcinoma. The metastatic tissue was hormone-negative, which was compatible with disease progression during hormonal therapy. Considering the multiple metastasis, comorbidities, unfavourable performance status and the quick deterioration of the patient's clinical condition, only best supportive care was administered.

Endometrial Metastasis from Ductal Breast Carcinoma: A Case Report with Literature Review

Patient: Female, 51

Final Diagnosis: Endometrial metastasis from ductal breast carcinonoma

Symptoms: Abnormal uterine bleeding • menorrhagia

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: Dilatation and curettage (D&C) • tissue diagnosis of the endometrium

Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Differential Diagnosis of Krukenberg Tumors Using Multivariate Analysis

Aims and Background

Krukenberg tumors are ovarian metastases from a gastroenteric malignancy in 90% of cases. At present, diagnostic imaging techniques (US, CT, MRI) do not provide any reliable diagnostic criteria to differentiate these metastases from ovarian primaries. We tried to use multivariate analysis to distinguish malignant ovarian primaries from Krukenberg tumors based on their differential natural history.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively compared the CT findings of Krukenberg tumors (47 patients, 79 masses, only from gastroenteric malignancy) with CT findings of primary epithelial ovarian cancers (46 patients, 67 masses). We compared the same independent variables in the two groups: age, morphology, margins, carcinomatosis, bilateral versus unilateral involvement, ascites, lymph node involvement, metastases on the basis of multivariate analysis.

Results

According to the best fitted model, clear-cut margins (OR: 3.75; 95% Cl: 1.14-9.72) and the presence of carcinomatosis (OR: 4.21; 95% Cl: 1.51-11.72) were the strongest predictors of a diagnosis of Krukenberg tumor. In contrast, the presence of ascites was more likely to be a protective factor (OR: 0.22; 95% Cl: 0.08-0.62).

Conclusions

We can try to make a differential diagnosis between a metastatic lesion from the gastroenteric tract and a primary adnexal lesion based on the multivariate statistical analysis of intraperitoneal spread of the different types of cancer rather than on morphologic findings at CT.

Surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma with ovarian metastases

Ovarian metastases from extragenital neoplasms are rare. The prevalent sites of the primary tumors were the breast, colorectum and the stomach. The Krukenberg tumor (KT) is defined as a gastrointestinal cancer which metastasized to the ovaries. Metastasis to the ovary may appear at the time of diagnosis of the primary tumor (synchronous) or during observation (metachronous). Common clinical presentations are abdominal distention, pain, palpable mass, bloating, ascites or pain during sexual intercourse. Diagnosis can be made by ultrasound examinations, CT or EMR scans, laparotomy and/or a biopsy of the ovary. The current standard treatment for patients with metastatic gastric cancer is systemic chemotherapy, however, treatment strategy for KTs from gastric cancer has not been clearly established and surgical treatment is considered mainly for metachronous tumors. The prognosis of patients with ovarian metastasis of gastric cancer origin is poorer compared with that of other primary tumors. Although the results of cytoreductive surgery – especially in combination with modern chemotherapy – seems to be promising, the optimal therapeutic strategies for such patients requires further prospective studies.

A vulvar mass as the first presentation in colorectal carcinoma: An unusual site of metastasis masquerading a primary cancer

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate a case with a vulvar metastasis masquerading a primary vulvar malignancy. The clinical and histological features, mechanism, and impact to the prognosis are discussed.

CASE REPORT

A 58-year-old woman presented to gynecologist for abnormal vaginal discharge. A vulvar nodule was noticed during physical examination. Biopsy showed adenocarcinoma (ADC) and she was referred for further survey under the impression of Bartholin duct ADC. Later she was further found to also have a colorectal tumor with liver metastasis and subsequently received surgery under the suspicion of a double primary cancer involving the colon and vulva. The pathology revealed colorectal ADC with both hepatic and vulvar metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Secondary tumor in female genital tract is unusual and vulvar metastasis is the rarest kind. The clinical manifestation may be perplexing especially if a patient is presented with a nonspecific gynecological symptom such as abnormal vaginal discharge without any past history.

Mucinous epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Mucinous tumours involving the ovary may be benign, borderline, or malignant. Malignant tumours may be primary or metastatic. Differentiation between primary and metastatic involvement of the ovary is critical for optimal patient management. Even among skilled pathologists, this distinction can be problematic, as can the distinction between borderline ovarian tumour of intestinal type and well-differentiated invasive primary mucinous ovarian carcinoma. Primary invasive mucinous ovarian carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma metastatic to the ovary do have distinct patterns of macroscopic and microscopic involvement which will reveal the correct diagnosis in many cases. There are also well-recognized patterns of immunohistochemical staining that can further assist in this differentiation. As a result of the application of these histopathological techniques, the incidence of primary invasive mucinous epithelial carcinoma has fallen over recent years from ∼12% to ∼3%. However, even in recent multicentre clinical trials such as GOG 182, expert pathological review suggests that ∼60% of tumours originally classified as primary invasive mucinous carcinomas were in fact metastatic tumours to the ovary. Review of outcome data for patients with mucinous carcinoma entered into multicentre trials suggests that this subtype of disease has a particularly poor prognosis in comparison with other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. Historically, patients with mucinous epithelial ovarian carcinoma (mEOC) have been treated in the same way as other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. While there is undoubtedly a response rate to platinum-based chemotherapy, retrospective reviews of individual centre experience suggest that this is substantially lower than for high-grade papillary serous carcinoma and in the order of only 30%-40%. The mEOC trial was established to investigate the possibility that the combination of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (chemotherapy drugs more commonly used in colorectal carcinoma) may be superior to conventional carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, there was also a randomization to bevacizumab. Unfortunately, this trial closed early, 5 years after initiation having recruited just 50 of a proposed 322 patients. mEOC is now characterized as a type I tumour with an identifiable stepwise progression from a premalignant lesion, through non-invasive, to invasive malignancy. Molecular characterization of mEOC reveals it to be distinct from other subtypes of the disease with a KRAS mutation occurring in 40%-50% of patients. Other gene abnormalities including HER2 amplification in ∼19% also occur. This raises the possibility of the use of targeted molecular therapies which with molecular analysis of individual patient tumours could form the basis of a future clinical trial. It is, however, clear that if trials are to be conducted in this rare subtype of disease, they will need to be truly international in nature and carefully designed, possibly using an adaptive stepwise approach and will require an appropriate level of funding with a realistic assessment of likely recruitment. Associated translational research will clearly be essential.

SATB2 is a supportive marker for the differentiation of a primary mucinous tumor of the ovary and an ovarian metastasis of a low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN): A series of seven cases

The differentiation between a primary mucinous ovarian neoplasm and an extra-ovarian metastasis in the ovary is often challenging in the histopathologic practice. Among various ovarian metastases from the gastro-intestinal tract the low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN) is an important differential diagnosis to consider particularly in case of pseudomyxoma peritonei. A newly recognized marker in the routine diagnostic of a mucinous neoplasm in the ovary is SATB2 (Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2). The expression of SATB2 is, within cells of epithelial lineages, mainly restricted to the lower gastro-intestinal tract, indicating colorectal or appendiceal cancer origin. We report seven cases of LAMN, which clinically became apparent due to ovarian metastases in context of pseudomyxoma peritonei or at least small foci of peritoneal tumor spread. An immunohistochemical marker-panel including SATB2, CDX2, CK20, CK7, PAX8, ER and PR revealed a strong expression of SATB2 in all seven cases. On the contrary SATB2-negativity could be demonstrated in the 40 cases of mucinous borderline tumors and primary mucinous carcinomas of the ovary. The histopathologic tentative diagnosis of an ovarian metastasis of LAMN could be confirmed in the findings of the Appendix in six of seven cases. This report supports SATB2 as an additional diagnostic marker for the diagnosis of an ovarian manifestation of LAMN.

Ovarian Metastases of Colorectal Origin: Treatment Patterns and Factors Affecting Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the patterns of treatment and factors affecting outcomes in ovarian metastases of colorectal origins treated at our institution and to assess the response of ovarian metastases to chemotherapy. Survival in R0 and R+ resections and patients receiving only chemotherapy is also analyzed. This is a retrospective study of 25 patients registered between January 2012 and December 2015. Patient's age, disease status, mode of presentation, disease spread, mode of treatment, response to chemotherapy, completeness of resection, histology, and outcomes were considered as variables for analysis. There were 21 synchronous presentations and 4 metachronous presentations. In synchronous presentations, only 2 had extra-abdominal disease. Of these patients, 15 underwent surgeries of various extents. The remaining 6 patients were treated with chemotherarpy initially. Only one of them could come up to surgery later. In R0 resections, disease recurred between 1 and 9 months (median 3.5 months). The recurrence was in peritoneum and ovaries. In operated cases, 12 of 15 patients received chemotherapy and 9 patients progressed on first line chemotherapy. In all 4 metachronous patients, the disease was in the peritoneum. No one underwent surgery for the recurrence due to the extensive nature of the disease. All received chemotherapy. Sixty-six percent ovarian metastases showed progression on chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in the median survival between patients treated with surgery plus chemotherapy (23 months) vs. those treated with chemotherapy alone (28 months). Age and presence of disease at other sites did not affect the outcomes. Non-signet ring cell histologies showed better outcomes compared to signet ring cell histology (p = 0.02). Synchronous presentation, R0 resections, and responsive disease showed better survival, however it was clinically not significant. Treatment of ovarian metastases of colorectal origins is varied but has consistently poor outcome. Non-signet histology was the only prognostic factor which showed better outcome. Survival was not different between patients treated with surgery+chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone but majority of ovarian metastases progressed on chemotherapy. Considering the poor response to chemotherapy and peritoneum being the most common site of disease, both in primary and recurrent setting, R0 resection should always be attempted after selecting the correct patients using PET scan, laparoscopy and standard exploratory protocols. Treatment should be tailored upon patient's status and disease burden with an aim to do complete cytoreduction whenever possible. CRS+HIPEC (cytoreductive surgery + hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) can be considered on case to case basis as even R0 resections tend to recur.

Synchronous Uterine Metastases from Breast Cancer: Case Study and Literature Review

Breast cancer rarely metastasizes to the uterus. Here, we report two breast cancer patients with synchronous metastases to the uterus. Case 1 highlights a 46-year-old female with invasive ductal carcinoma who presented with a breast mass and was found to have uterine enlargement on positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Biopsy revealed a metastatic 4 mm focus of breast cancer in the background of endometrial hyperplasia. Case 2 reports a 62-year-old postmenopausal female diagnosed with lobular carcinoma of the breast following an abnormal screening mammogram. A routine pap smear necessitated further workup, revealing simultaneous endometrial and cervical metastasis. Both patients did not have any gynecologic symptoms and presented a diagnostic challenge.

Metastasis of breast cancer to an endometrial polyp, the cervix and a leiomyoma: A case report and review of the literature

Haematogenous metastases of breast cancer tumors has previously been demonstrated to frequently occur at the sites of the lung, bones, liver and brain, however presence in the uterine remains a rare occurrence. Metastatic carcinoma of the uterus usually originates from other genital sites, most frequently from the ovaries. The current review presents the first reported case of lobular breast carcinoma metastasizing to an endometrial polyp, the cervix and a leiomyoma simultaneously. The patient (58 years, female) first presented with abnormal uterine bleeding. Invasive ductal carcinoma had previously been diagnosed in her right breast, with lobular and ductal cancer cells observed to be present in her lymph nodes. A hysteroscopic procedure to examine the postmenopausal bleeding revealed an endometrial polyp, which was subsequently resected. The morphology and immunohistochemical studies confirmed the diagnosis of metastasis of lobular breast carcinoma to an endometrial polyp. An ¹⁸F fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) scan performed following the diagnosis, revealed a slightly increased uptake in the myoma, which is often observed in benign uterine leiomyoma. The patient then underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and partial colectomy. Pathology results demonstrated that the uterine leiomyoma and cervix shared the same histopathological features as those presented by the primary lobular breast carcinoma. Although rare, breast tumors may metastasize to an endometrial polyp, cervix and leiomyoma concurrently in patients, therefore physicians may now consider the potential of the diagnosis of metastatic spread to the genital tract, in a patient with abnormal uterine bleeding and a history of lobular breast cancer. Gynecologists planning a laparoscopic hysterectomy for a patient with a history of lobular breast carcinoma may consider abdominal rather than laparoscopic hysterectomy, as lobular carcinoma is difficult to detect. The use of PET-CT may be beneficial for the identification of an unexpected mass.

Three Cases of Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome Secondary to Ovarian Metastases from Colorectal Cancer

Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is used to describe cases of ascites and/or pleural effusion associated with ovarian neoplasms other than benign tumors, which improve after removal of the ovarian lesion. We present three cases of pseudo-Meigs' syndrome secondary to ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer. In case 1, the patient has severe dyspnea and hypoxia due to massive right pleural effusion; therefore preoperative thoracic drainage was needed. In case 2, the patient needed paracentesis every two or three days to improve abdominal distension. After two courses of 5-fluorouracil, levofolinate, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6), her ascites could be controlled by diuretics without aspiration and her general condition improved. Then she underwent operation. In case 3, the patient developed a massive pleural effusion and ascites coincident with a rapid enlargement of ovarian tumor after resection and adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer. In all cases, pleural effusions and/or ascites resolved and general conditions and daily activities of the patients improved after oophorectomy. They are all currently in good health without recurrence of pleural effusion or ascites. In patients with suspected pseudo-Meigs' syndrome secondary to ovarian metastasis of colorectal cancer, operation including oophorectomy may reduce pleural effusions and/or ascites and improve the general condition.

Adenocarcinoma of the Lung Metastatic to the Ovary With a Signet Ring Cell Component

A nonsmoker 45-year-old woman, presented with a solid right ovarian mass. Microscopic examination revealed heterogeneous histology with tubular formations and extensive signet ring cell component that resembled the usual appearance of metastatic gastric carcinoma to the ovary. Moreover, the histology also showed solid nests of cells with a microvacuolated basophilic cytoplasm similar to those found in adenosquamous cervical carcinoma of glassy cell type. However, analysis of the patient's past history revealed a lung adenocarcinoma, diagnosed 4 years before, which prompted an immunohistochemical differential diagnosis, showing a strong expression for TTF-1 and Napsin A. A cervical primary was excluded taking into account both macroscopic findings and the negative expression of PAX8 and absence of human papillomavirus-related marker p16. This confirmed the pulmonary origin of ovarian tumor despite its heterogeneous morphology. This is the first reported case of ovarian metastatic lung adenocarcinoma, with a signet ring cell component and solid nests, mimicking both metastatic gastric carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma of glassy cell type.

Obstruction of the right stem bronchus due to ovarian local metastasis: a 5-year follow-up

Currently interventional bronchoscopy is used for debulking, desobstruction and airway patency stabilization. The interventional techniques are being used for both benign and malignant cases. There are two types of stents that are currently being used, silicon and self-expandable metallic. The method of application and stent remains for the treating physician to choose. In the current case we will present a case of metastatic disease from ovarian cancer in the airway lumen and a long term follow-up.

Metastatic gastric cancer to the female genital tract

Metastases to the female genital tract from gastric cancer are rare, but they significantly worsen the prognosis of such patients. The potential routes for metastasis to the female genital tract from gastric cancer include hematogenous spread, lymphatic spread and surface implantation. The rate of lymphatic metastasis to the ovary from gastric cancer has been reported to be higher compared with that from colorectal cancer. Uterine or Fallopian tube metastases are usually secondary to ovarian metastases, which are typically identified prior to the detection of gastric cancer in half of all synchronous cases, with complaints of abdominal distention, pain, palpable mass, or abnormal uterine bleeding. The prognosis of patients with female genital tract metastases from gastric cancer is extremely poor, and is worse compared with that of other primary sites, such as the breast and colorectum. In the past, surgical intervention in such patients consisted mainly of palliative resection to relieve the symptoms associated with a sizeable pelvic mass. However, recent retrospective studies based on a relatively small number of patients have reported that surgical tumor debulking plus chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of patients with metastatic ovarian cancer originating from gastric cancer.

Unusual uterine metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma: A case report

Metastatic carcinoma of the uterus usually originates from other genital sites. Extragenital metastases such as breast are rare. A woman aged 34 years with a history of breast cancer was referred to the gynecology outpatient clinic for routine follow-up. Diagnostic tests and gynecologic examination revealed a uterine mass, which was removed with laparotomy. The pathologic investigation revealed metastasis of invasive lobular breast cancer. Chemotherapy was given and the patient has been under follow-up for 3 years with normal imaging on comput-erized tomographic examination and positron-emission tomography-computerized tomographic. It should be kept in mind that patients with breast cancer who have received tamoxifen may develop primary endometrial cancers, and may also demonstrate uterine metastases. With successful treatment these patients can obtain dis-ease-free survival.

The potential role of HER2 upregulation in metastatic breast cancer to the uterus: a case report

Abnormal uterine bleeding in a patient on maintenance hormonal therapy for breast cancer should raise concern for endometrial abnormalities including rare uterine metastasis from the breast. Hormonal receptor profile changes in metastatic lesions favoring human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression may be involved in the pathogenesis of metastasis to the uterus.

Metastatic Ovarian Tumors Originating From a Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma - A Case Report and Brief Literature Review

Approximately 1.6% of tumors metastatic to the ovary of nongynecologic origin are from a small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA). However, the incidence of SBA is extremely rare (0.23 cases/100,000 people), which suggests a high frequency of ovarian metastasis, although the reason is unknown. To identify the characteristics of ovarian tumor metastasis from SBA, we reviewed 72 cases reported in the English literature, including the case presented in this report. The mean age of the patients was 46.7 yr. Solitary ovarian metastasis was observed in 67% of the cases, and ovarian metastasis was accompanied by peritoneal dissemination in 33% of the cases. Although duodenal adenocarcinoma has the highest incidence among the SBAs, jejunal adenocarcinoma, particularly that at the proximal end, is the type of SBA that most frequently metastasizes to the ovary. Among the cases of ovarian metastasis from SBA, 51% were bilateral, 33% were unilateral to the right ovary, and 16% were unilateral to the left ovary.

Diffuse Histiocytic Proliferation Mimicking Mesothelial Hyperplasia in Endocervicosis of the Female Pelvic Peritoneum

Two cases of a diffuse histiocytic proliferation that mimicked mesothelial hyperplasia in the pelvic peritoneum of premenopausal women with endocervicosis are presented. The lesions were found incidentally on laparoscopic examination for pelvic pain and appeared as small friable excrescenses attached to the serosal surface of the pelvis. Histologic examination revealed a dense proliferation of round to oval cells with abun dant eosinophilic cytoplasm and large, hyperchromatic nuclei showing focal invagina tions and occasional mitoses. The cells appeared to infiltrate the surrounding connec tive tissue in single files and were closely associated with sloughed strands of small, cuboidal mesothelial cells as well as with larger glands lined by mucinous epithelium. Immunohistochemical studies showed cytoplasmic staining of these cells with MAC387, HAM56, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin antibodies, thus supporting their histiocytic nature. The close association of the histiocytic proliferation with the endo cervicotic glands raises the possibility that the process may have resulted as a reaction to rupture and extrusion of the mucous contents of the glands into the surrounding stroma. These lesions must be distinguished from reactive or neoplastic mesothelial proliferations involving the female pelvic peritoneum. Int J Surg Pathol 1(2):101-106, 1993

Cutaneous Melanoma Metastatic to Uterine Adenomyoma: Report of a Case

Rare cases of metastasis to uterine polyps have been reported in English literature but not, to the best of our knowledge, to uterine adenomyomas. All these cases are represented by breast cancer, most of them involving tamoxifen-associated polyps. We first report a case of cutaneous malignant melanoma metastatic to uterine adenomyoma. A computed tomography scan did not reveal any further evidence of disease, suggesting that this metastatic localization may represent something more than a fortuitous case. Based on these observations it is suggested that a subset of malignant melanoma and breast cancer cells share a sort of “homing” phenomenon to polypoid lesions of uterus, due probably to the presence of some chemokines and their specific receptors. Pathologists should be aware of this possibility in order to look carefully for metastatic implants in similar lesions. It is proposed that chemokine profile of neoplastic cells can be a useful tool in predicting metastatic targets.

Uterine Cervical Metastasis From Primary Rectal Adenocarcinoma on PET/CT and MRI

FDG avid uterine cervical masses are most commonly due to primary cervical carcinoma; however, history and differential diagnoses are critical when interpreting FDG PET/CT studies. A 51-year-old woman with newly diagnosed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the rectum underwent FDG PET/CT for staging, which revealed the hypermetabolic primary rectal tumor and nodal metastases. Additionally, FDG avid focus in the anterior cervix without a CT correlate was present. Cervical metastasis was suspected, and further evaluation with MRI and histopathologic correlation was recommended, which confirmed cervical metastasis. This case illustrates an unusual case of FDG-avid cervical metastasis from rectal adenocarcinoma.

Vaginal fine-needle aspiration: A useful alternative to biopsy

BACKGROUND

Vaginal fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is infrequently performed to assess palpable lesions. We perform the first multi-institutional study to evaluate this procedure.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed vaginal FNAs performed at two institutions for the past 27 years. Clinical, cytological and histological data were reviewed and tabulated.

RESULTS

We identified 43 specimens from 39 patients (mean age 56 years, range 18-86 years). Twenty four patients (62%) had prior malignancies from the following sites: gynecologic tract (22), bladder (1), and breast (1). Twenty four specimens were malignant, 18 were benign (including eight cases from patients with prior malignancy) and one was unsatisfactory. Of 28 FNA specimens from patients with a malignant history, 18 (64%) were positive for malignancy. The most common malignancies were metastatic ovarian carcinoma (50%), squamous cell carcinoma (25%), and uterine cancer (17%). Mean time to metastasis/recurrence was 16 months and was longest in patients with ovarian metastasis (26 months) compared to other malignancies (P = 0.002). The most common benign diagnoses were cysts (33%) and inflammation (22%). In 27 cases with histological correlation, there were 20 true positives, six true negatives and one false negative (sensitivity =95%, specificity =100%). Seven patients had a recent Pap test with two true positives, two true negatives, and three false negatives (sensitivity = 40%, specificity = 100%).

CONCLUSION

Vaginal FNA is usually performed to rule out a secondary malignancy, often of ovarian origin. Vaginal metastases from extra-gynecologic sites are rare. FNA is both highly sensitive and specific and may be a safe and effective alternative to biopsy. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:665-669. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Metastatic lobular carcinoma of breast mimics primary cervix carcinoma: two case reports and a review of the literature

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast exhibits unusual clinicopathological, radiological, histological, and metastatic patterns. We present here two cases of ILC of the breast that presented with an unusual pattern of metastasis involving the uterus.

Our first patient presented to her primary gynaecologist with profuse vaginal bleeding and underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy. She had fibroadenoma excised from her left breast four years previously. Histopathology revealed lobular carcinoma diffusely infiltrating uterus, cervix, and bilateral ovaries. Retrospective examination of the left breast showed induration along the previous fibroadenoma excision scar. A biopsy from the scar suggested lobular carcinoma.

Our second patient presented with a hard indurated cervix mass that mimicked primary cervix carcinoma. She had ILC of the right breast four years previously for which she underwent mastectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She was on tamoxifen. Further evaluation at presentation with imaging showed extensive intra-abdominal disease involving peritoneum with moderate ascites, adnexal masses, and confluent para-aortic nodal mass. A cervix biopsy confirmed metastasis from lobular carcinoma.

Metastatic involvement of the genital tract should be considered in women with a history of breast cancer who present with abnormal vaginal bleeding, suspicious pelvic examination, or radiological findings. We suggest such patient be vigorously screened with biopsy even if the patient is disease-free for several years. It is crucial to differentiate the metastasis from primary carcinoma of the genital tract as there are vast differences in the management of each.

Concomitant endometrial and gallbladder metastasis in advanced multiple metastatic invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: A rare case report

INTRODUCTION

At time of presentation, fewer than 10% of patients have metastatic breast cancer. The most common sites of metastasis in order of frequency are bone, lung, pleura, soft tissue, and liver. Breast cancer metastasis to the uterus or gallbladder is rare and has infrequently been reported in the English literature.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 47 year old female with a recent history of thrombocytopenia presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Pelvic ultrasound revealed multiple uterine fibroids and endometrial curettings revealed cells consistent with lobular carcinoma of the breast. Breast examination revealed edema and induration of the lower half of the right breast. Biopsy of the right breast revealed invasive lobular carcinoma. Bone marrow aspiration obtained at a previous outpatient visit revealed extensive involvement by metastatic breast carcinoma. Shortly after discharge, the patient presented with acute cholecystitis and underwent cholecystectomy. Microscopic examination of the gallbladder revealed metastatic infiltrating lobular carcinoma. The final diagnosis was invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast with metastasis to the bone marrow, endometrium, gallbladder, regional lymph nodes, and peritoneum.

DISCUSSION

The growth pattern of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast is unique and poses a challenge in diagnosing the cancer at an early stage. Unlike other types of breast cancer, it tends to metastasize more to the peritoneum, ovary, and gastrointestinal tract. Metastasis to the endometrium or gallbladder is rare.

CONCLUSION

Metastatic spread should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with invasive lobular breast carcinoma presenting with abnormal vaginal bleeding or acute cholecystitis.

Metastases of basal-like breast invasive ductal carcinoma to the endometrium: A case report and review of the literature

We present a case of single endometrial metastasis from breast invasive ductal cancer. This case was unique because the immunohistochemical staining was negative for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/neu and estrogen and progesterone receptors, and positive for cytokeratin 5/6 and epidermal growth factor receptor in the primary and metastatic tumor cells. No gross evidence of tumor was observed in other sites. We identified 12 cases of metastases to the endometrium from breast carcinoma from series and case reports in the literature between 1985 and 2014. This review indicated that hormone receptor-positive invasive lobular breast cancer cells are more likely to metastasize to the endometrium than other cell types in patients over 50 years of age.

Vulvar metastasis from bladder cancer

Vulvar metastasis of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is a very rare entity; few cases are reported in the English literature. In this paper, we describe the clinical and pathological characteristics, evolution, and treatment of a patient with vulvar metastasis of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder followed by a brief review of the reported cases in the literature.

Endometrial metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma: a report of two cases

Case series

Patient: Female, 55 • Female, 51

Final Diagnosis: Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma

Symptoms: Neck swelling

Medication: Erlotinib

Clinical Procedure: Lymph node biopsy

Specialty: Oncology

Solitary uterine metastasis of invasive lobular carcinoma after adjuvant endocrine therapy: a case report

Introduction

Solitary uterine metastases from extragenital cancers are very rare. Breast cancer is the most frequent primary site of metastasis to the uterine corpus, with invasive lobular carcinoma more likely to spread to gynecologic organs than invasive ductal carcinoma.

Case presentation

A 62-year-old postmenopausal Japanese woman was diagnosed with uterine leiomyomata more than 20 years ago and had been managed conservatively until menopause. Seven years prior to her presentation, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a partial resection of her right breast for stage IIA invasive lobular carcinoma. She underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and five years of anastrozole hormonal therapy. She presented with a growing uterine mass. Her tumor marker levels were markedly increased over the course of her follow-up, but a systemic examination revealed only a solitary uterine tumor. She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. A histopathological examination, including detailed immunohistochemistry, confirmed metastatic invasive lobular carcinoma, infiltrating both her uterine myometrium and fibroid tissue.

Conclusion

We report a very rare metastatic pattern of invasive lobular carcinoma and demonstrate that gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 and mammaglobin are useful in the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer.

Cholangiocarcinoma presenting as uterine metastasis

Metastases to the female genital tract are rare, with metastatic disease restricted to the uterus being even less frequent. The primary tumor is most often intragenital rather than extragenital. The diagnosis is usually made after occurrence of gynecological symptoms. We describe the case of a 26-year-old female, in whom a curettage for menorrhagia revealed a uterine malignancy, at first thought to be a carcinosarcoma. Biochemistry only showed iron deficiency anemia. Imaging showed discrepant results with liver lesions, suspect of neoplastic or inflammatory disease. She underwent an abdominal hysterectomy and, peroperatively, a frozen section of a mass in the liver hilus demonstrated a cholangiocarcinoma. The diagnosis of a uterine metastasized cholangiocarcinoma was made. We emphasize the fact that uterine metastases have to be excluded in every woman with abnormal uterine bleeding and a personal history of malignancy. However, our case also indicates that gynecological metastatic disease may be the first presentation of an extragenital primary neoplasm.

Ovarian metastasis from thyroid carcinoma: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is rarely associated with metastatic disease. The most common sites of metastasis are the lungs and bones, while only few cases of ovarian metastasis are described in literature.

CASE

We report the case of a 51 years old woman, treated 9 years before for papillary thyroid carcinoma, presenting to our Institute with a pelvic ovarian mass revealed by ultrasound imaging. After bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the histologic examination detected a left ovarian metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Even if the diagnosis of ovarian metastasis from thyroid carcinoma is often controversial, it should be considered when a woman with an ovarian lesion of unknown origin, has a personal history of malignant thyroid disease.

VIRTUAL SLIDES

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/13000_2014_193.

Use of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of miscellaneous and metastatic tumors of the uterine corpus and cervix

Uncommon tumors in the uterus present diagnostic challenges. In some cases, the tumor subtype is usually seen outside the gynecologic tract and the possibility of a uterine primary is not considered. In other cases, histologic overlap with more common uterine tumors leads to potential misdiagnosis. Finally, metastatic carcinoma may involve the uterus and cervix. Rarely, symptoms related to the uterine metastasis may precede diagnosis of an extrauterine primary. Without the proper clinical context, the possibility of a missed diagnosis is increased. One must first be aware of these possibilities, but immunoperoxidase studies are often necessary to confirm the diagnosis. In this review, unusual and metastatic tumors involving the uterine corpus and cervix and immunoperoxidase studies used to diagnosis such tumors are discussed.