Comparison of secondary and primary ovarian malignancies reveals differences in their pre- and perioperative characteristics

[Influence of the primary malignant tumor site on the incidence and features of metastatic ovarian tumors]

BACKGROUND/AIM

Ovary is the organ of the female reproductive system most commonly affected by metastases. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and features of metastatic ovarian tumors (MOT) depending on the site of the primary malignant tumor.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 488 patients with histopathologically confirmed ovarian cancers treated at the Clinic of Oncology, Clinical Center Nis, in the period from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2005. MOT were found in 41 patients. Regarding the site of the primary malignant tumor, those with secondary ovarian tumor were divided into two groups: group A--primary malignant tumor involving the genital organs (n = 30) and group B--primary malignant tumor of extragenital origin (n = 11).

RESULTS

MOT were confirmed in 8.40% (41/488) of the patients. Secondary ovarian malignancies were the consequence of endometrial carcinoma spreading in 73.17%, breast carcinoma in 19.51%, stomach carcinoma in 4.88% and colon carcinoma in 2.44% of the cases. No significant differences were found between the group A and group B by the factors of age, body mass index, parity and menopausal status. Contrary to the group A, metastatic tumors in the group B patients were more commonly asymptomatic (p < 0.001), bilateral (p < 0.05), with larger ovarian diameter (p < 0.05), associated with ascites (p < 0.001) and abdominal metastases (p < 0.01), all of statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Metastatic tumors made up 8.40% of ovarian neoplasmas. With non-genital primary tumors, secondary ovarian deposits were frequently asymptomatic, bilateral, associated with larger ovarian diameter, ascites and abdominal metastatic deposits, compared to malignant tumors of genital origin.

Imaging in gynecological disease (1): ultrasound features of metastases in the ovaries differ depending on the origin of the primary tumor

OBJECTIVE

To describe the gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound findings of metastatic tumors in the ovary according to the origin of the primary tumor.

METHODS

Information was retrieved retrospectively from 67 patients who had undergone preoperative transvaginal gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound examination and who were found subsequently to have metastatic tumors in their ovaries. In all women the ultrasound information had been collected prospectively using a standardized examination technique and predefined definitions of ultrasound characteristics. Stored ultrasound images were used only to describe retrospectively the external surface of the metastatic tumors. Information on presenting symptoms and on whether the patient had been treated for a malignancy in the past was retrieved retrospectively from patient records.

RESULTS

Most (95%) ovarian metastases were solid, multilocular-solid or multilocular. Almost all (38/41, 93%) metastases that derived from the stomach, breast, lymphoma or uterus were solid, while most (16/22, 73%) metastases deriving from the colon, rectum, appendix or biliary tract were multilocular or multilocular-solid (P<0.0001). Metastases that derived from the colon, rectum, appendix or biliary tract were larger compared with those from the stomach, breast, lymphoma or uterus (median maximum diameter, 122 (range, 16-200) mm vs. 71 (range, 27-170) mm, P=0.02). In addition, irregular external borders were more common (19/22 (86%) vs. 19/41 (46%), P=0.002), as were papillary projections (6/22 (27%) vs. 2/41 (5%), P=0.011). They also appeared to be less vascularized, with 64% (14/22) manifesting moderate-to-abundant vascularization at color Doppler examination in comparison to 88% (36/41) of the ovarian metastases from stomach, breast, lymphoma or uterus (P=0.024).

CONCLUSION

Ovarian metastases derived from lymphoma or from tumors in the stomach, breast and uterus are solid in almost all cases, whereas those derived from the colon, rectum or biliary tract manifest more heterogeneous morphological patterns, most being multicystic with irregular borders.