Juvenile Granulosa Cell Ovarian Tumor in a Child With Beckwith-Wiedmann Syndrome

Relevance of Molecular Pathology for the Diagnosis of Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors of the Ovary: A Narrative Review

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) account for 8% of all primary ovarian neo-plasms. Accurate diagnosis is crucial since each subtype has a specific prognostic and treatment. Apart from fibrosarcomas, stromal tumors are benign while sex cord tumors may recur, sometimes with a significant time to relapse. Although the diagnosis based on morphology is straightforward, in some cases the distinction between stromal tumors and sex cord tumors may be tricky. Indeed, the immunophenotype is usually nonspecific between stromal tumors and sex cord tumors. Therefore, molecular pathology plays an important role in the diagnosis of such entities, with pathognomonic or recurrent alterations, such as FOXL2 variants in adult granulosa cell tumors. In addition, these neoplasms may be associated with genetic syndromes, such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome for sex cord tumors with annular tubules, and DICER1 syndrome for Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs), for which the pathologist may be in the front line of syndromic suspicion. Molecular pathology of SCST is also relevant for patient prognosis and management. For instance, the DICER1 variant is associated with moderately to poorly differentiated SLCTS and a poorer prognosis. The present review summarizes the histomolecular criteria useful for the diagnosis of SCST, using recent molecular data from the literature.

Stage I juvenile granulosa cell tumors of the ovary: A multicentre analysis from the MITO-9 study

OBJECTIVE

Juvenile type granulosa cell tumor (JGCTs) are extremely rare, mainly diagnosed in young women and pre-pubertal girls at stage I disease. Literature is scanty and guidelines regarding the optimal management are still controversial. The aim of this study is to add on the experience of the MITO group (Multicenter Italian Trials in Ovarian Cancer).

METHODS

Clinicopathological data from patients with stage I JGCTs were retrospectively collected. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the patient population. Clinicopathological features and treatment variables were evaluated for association with relapse.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients were identified. Surgical approach was laparoscopic and open for 7 (41%) and 10 (59%) patients, respectively. Fertility sparing surgery (FSS) was performed in 15 patients (88%): unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO) in 11 patients, cystectomy with subsequent USO in 2 patients and cystectomy alone in the remaining 2. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given in 2 cases. After a median follow up time of 80 months, no recurrences were registered.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the available data, minimally invasive surgery is safe in stage I JGCTs. Because of the good prognosis and of the young age of patients, FSS can be chosen in most of the cases. The role of cystectomy deserves further validation. The need of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I disease is still unclear, even if available data does not seem to support treatment over surveillance.