Borderline ovarian tumors: diverse contemporary viewpoints on terminology and diagnostic criteria with illustrative images

Hormone Replacement Therapy in Post-Menopause Hormone-Dependent Gynecological Cancer Patients: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Advances in the treatment of gynecological cancer have led to improvements in survival but also an increase in menopausal symptoms, especially in young women with premature iatrogenic menopause.

METHODS

A narrative review was performed to clarify the possibility of prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after hormone-dependent gynecological cancers (ovarian cancer [OC], cervical adenocarcinoma [AC], and endometrial cancer [EC]).

RESULTS

HRT can be prescribed to patients with early-stage, grade I-II OC who experience bothersome menopausal symptoms non-responsive to alternative non-hormone therapy after optimal surgery. Caution should be exercised in administering HRT after serous borderline tumors and endometrioid OC, and HRT is not recommended in low-grade serous OC. HRT is not contraindicated in AC survivors. After surgery for EC, HRT can be prescribed in women with early-stage low-grade EC. There is not enough data to give indications to patients with advanced EC.

CONCLUSIONS

HRT can be discussed with patients, evaluating the risks and benefits of hormone-dependent gynecological cancer. Counseling should be performed by gynecologic oncologists experienced in the management of these patients.

Macroscopic examination of gynaecological specimens: a critial and often underemphasised aspect of pathological reporting

Pathological examination of surgical specimens and compilation of a surgical pathology report comprises a series of events which includes macroscopic examination and tissue sampling, either complete or selected. This step is critical but often overlooked in the literature and not given the attention it deserves. In this review, we discuss the macroscopic examination and grossing of gynaecological pathology specimens, with reference to national and international protocols. We provide guidance as to the degree of sampling necessary in different scenarios and stress that a common-sense approach is necessary with flexibility in the degree of sampling depending on a variety of factors.

Risk of nonovarian cancer in a nationwide-based study of nearly 5000 women with borderline ovarian tumors in Denmark

Evidence regarding cancer risk after borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) is limited. We conducted a nationwide cohort study examining the incidence of nonovarian cancers in women with serous or mucinous BOTs compared with the general female population with up to 41 years of follow-up. Through the nationwide Pathology Registry, we identified nearly 5000 women with BOTs (2506 serous and 2493 mucinous) in Denmark, 1978 to 2018. We computed standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as relative risk estimates of specific nonovarian cancers. Compared with general female population rates, women with serous BOTs had increased rates of particularly malignant melanoma (SIR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.6), thyroid cancer (SIR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.4-5.4) and myeloid leukemia (SIR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.5-5.8), and women with mucinous BOTs had elevated rates of lung cancer (SIR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.1), pancreatic cancer (SIR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2-2.9) and myeloid leukemia (SIR = 2.3; 95% CI: 0.9-4.7). We found no convincing association with neither breast nor colorectal cancer in women with BOTs. This is the first large nationwide study showing that women with specific types of BOTs have increased risks of several nonovarian cancers, likely due to some shared risk factors or genetic characteristics.

Data Set for the Reporting of Ovarian, Fallopian Tube and Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma: Recommendations From the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR)

The move toward consistent and comprehensive surgical pathology reports for cancer resection specimens has been a key development in supporting evidence-based patient management and consistent cancer staging. The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) previously developed a data set for reporting of the ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal carcinomas which was published in 2015. In this paper, we provide an update on this data set, as a second edition, that reflects changes in the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Female Genital Tumours as well as some other minor modifications. The data set has been developed by a panel of internationally recognized expert pathologists and a clinician and consists of "core" and "noncore" elements to be included in surgical pathology reports, with detailed commentary to guide users, including references. This data set replaces the widely used first edition, and will facilitate consistent and accurate case reporting, data collection for quality assurance and research, and allow for comparison of epidemiological and pathologic parameters between different populations.

Ovarian tumor frozen section, a multidisciplinary affair

BACKGROUND

Ovarian Cancer (OC) constitute the eighth most common cancers among women worldwide. Surgery remains the cornerstone in the management of OC. Intraoperative frozen section (FS) diagnosis is widely used to decide the surgery course. We aimed to assess the reliability of intraoperative FS diagnosis for treatment planning of patients with suspected OC from a multidisciplinary perspective. The clinical consequences of reclassification and the multidisciplinary management of the therapy plan, is the secondary aim of this study. To our knowledge, this information is sparely investigated.

METHODS

A single-center, retrospective population-based study of patients who underwent surgery for suspected OC between 2018 and 2020. Histopathological outcomes were classified as benign, borderline, or malignant. The FS diagnosis was the diagnostic test, and the final histopathology report was the gold standard. Diagnostic capability for treatment planning was assessed, and modifications made possible by overall clinical knowledge were discussed.

RESULTS

A total of 358 patients were identified, of whom 187 were included in the FS group. Overall accuracy was 89.8%, and 19 patients were reclassified; the malignancy grade of 15 tumors was underestimated. Prevalence, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for invasive malignancies on FS were 54.0% (CI 46.6-61.3%), 88.1% (CI 80.2-93.7%), 98.8% (CI 93.7-99.9%), 98.9% (CI 92.7-99.8%), and 87.6% (CI 80.6-92.4%), respectively. Tumors incorrectly graded by FS tended to be of borderline-related.

CONCLUSIONS

The reliability of the FS methodology was an accurate test to help perform appropriate surgery and plan swift oncological treatment. FS is a reliable method to diagnose invasive malignancies and benign pathology. The communication between the pathologist, surgeon, and medical oncologist is highly important for both intraoperative decision-making and postoperative patient care.

Ovarian mucinous and seromucinous neoplasms: problematic aspects and modern diagnostic approach

The morphological spectrum of primary ovarian mucinous and seromucinous tumours is broad and presents an array of diagnostic challenges, many unique to these tumour types. This reflects the heterogeneous nature of these lesions, their varied histogenesis and evolving classification systems over recent decades, with further modification to the seromucinous category incorporated in the recently published 5^th edition of the WHO Classification of Female Genital Tumours. In this review we provide an update on the classification of these neoplasms and discuss their histogenesis and diverse morphology, focusing on areas which are diagnostically problematic. We also cover tumour grading, differential diagnosis, immunohistochemistry, the recent elucidation of the molecular underpinnings of ovarian mucinous neoplasia and discuss the gross and intraoperative handling of these tumours. A number of diagnostic issues remain unresolved highlighting the importance of further research on this front, as well as a multidisciplinary approach in the care of patients with ovarian mucinous and seromucinous neoplasia.

The "Far Left" of the Morphologic Spectrum of Ovarian High-grade Serous Carcinoma: Case Report of a Purely Noninvasive High-grade Serous Carcinoma Mimicking an Ovarian Serous Borderline Tumor

High-grade serous carcinoma has a variety of different growth patterns, but is typically easily recognizable to pathologists and rarely confused with serous borderline tumors. We report a case of a 71-yr-old woman with a unilateral 5.1 cm ovarian cyst with small papillary projections on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis. Histologic examination showed a noninvasive papillary neoplasm with hierarchical branching and epithelial proliferation, and thus, at low magnification, bearing a striking resemblance to a serous borderline tumor. However, a more careful examination demonstrated high-grade cytologic features, nuclear pleomorphism, and abundant mitotic activity, suggestive of high-grade serous carcinoma. The morphology and immunohistochemical profile of this lesion is consistent with a rare, purely noninvasive growth pattern of high-grade serous carcinoma. This lesion represents the "far left" of the high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma morphologic spectrum and can mimic a serous borderline tumor.

Clear cell borderline tumor without fibromatous component: Pathological and literature review and report of two cases

The aim of the present study was to examine the clinical outcome of ovarian clear cell borderline tumor (CCBT) through pathological review for cases with clear cell carcinoma (CCC) and CCBT between 1984 and 2015 who received surgery at the National Defense Medical College Hospital using 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. In addition to the definition of CCBT in 2020 WHO criteria, clear cell with atypia of the glandular epithelium without fibromatous component was added to the diagnostic criteria of CCBT. Two cases with CCBT were identified through review in the current study. There were no cases that changed from the initial CCBT diagnosis that were included in the current study. Case 1 was a 43-year-old woman who received total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and partial omentectomy. Pathologically, cysts were lined by cuboidal, hobnail and clear cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm and moderate nuclear atypia without the fibromatous component. These cells were adjacent to atypical endometriosis and non-atypical endometriosis, and the patient was diagnosed with CCBT. She exhibited no evidence of the disease for 37 months following surgery. Case 2 was a 42-year-old woman who received left salpingo-oophorectomy, partial omentectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The tumor exhibited a cyst (80 mm) and nodular component. Pathologically, the tumor cells were lined by hobnail cells with mild atypia and eosinophilic cytoplasm without the fibromatous component. This patient was diagnosed with CCBT and exhibited no evidence of disease for 20 months following surgery. CCBT without fibromatous component is a rare and non-aggressive histological subtype. Additionally, regardless of fibromatous component, CCBT was able to be diagnosed.

[Borderline ovarian tumours: CNGOF Guidelines for clinical practice - Biopathology of ovarian borderline tumors]

OBJECTIVES

Ovarian borderline tumors (OBT) represent a heterogeneous group of lesions with specific management for each histological subtype. Thus, the correct histological diagnosis is mandatory.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

References were searched by PubMed from January 2000 to January 2018 and original articles in French and English literature were selected.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

OBT should be classified according to the last WHO classification. Any micro-invasion (foci<5mm) or microcarcinoma (foci<5mm with nuclear atypia and desmoplastic stromal reaction) should be indicated in the pathology report. In case of serous OBT, variants (classical or the micropapillary/cribriform) should be indicated (grade C). The peritoneal implants associated with OBT, should be classified as invasive or noninvasive, according to the extension into the underlying adipous tissue. If no adipous tissue is seen the term undetermined should be used (grade B). In case of mucinous OBT bilateral and/or with peritoneal implants or peritoneal pseudomyxoma a search for primitive gastrointestinal, appendiceal or biliopancreatic tumor should be performed (grade C). In case of OBT, a thorough sampling of the tumor is recommended, with 1 block/cm and 2 blocks/cm in case of mucinous OBT, serous OBT micropapillary variant, OBT with intraepithelial carcinoma or/and micro-invasion. Peritoneal implants should be examined in toto. Omentum without macroscopic lesion should be sampled in 4 to 6 blocks (grade C). In case of ovarian cyst suspicious for OBT, fine needle aspiration is not recommended (grade C). In case of ovarian tumor suspicious for OBT, intraoperative examination should be performed by a gynecological pathologist (grade C).

Unilateral cystectomy and serous histology are associated with relapse in borderline ovarian tumor patients with fertility-sparing surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Surgical procedures, histological subtypes, and surgical approaches are involved in the recurrence of borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs), but whether those three factors affect relapse remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the effects of surgical procedures, histological subtypes, and surgical approaches on the relapse and pregnancy rates of BOT after fertility-preserving surgery (FPS) according to the patients' characteristics.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library was conducted from their inception to November 2018. Studies that investigated the impact of surgical procedures, histological subtypes, and surgical approaches on the relapse and pregnancy rates in patients with BOT after FPS were eligible. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies involving a total of 2921 patients with BOT after FPS were included. The pooled ORs indicated that the risk of relapse was significantly increased in patients who underwent unilateral cystectomy or with serous BOT. There was no significant difference between laparoscopy and laparotomy on the risk of relapse. Surgical procedures, histological subtypes, and surgical approaches did not influence pregnancy rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent unilateral cystectomy or with serous BOT presented an excess risk of relapse after FPS, but the surgical approach did not affect the risk of relapse. The pregnancy rate is not affected by surgical procedures, histological subtypes, and surgical approaches.

[Borderline Ovarian Tumours: CNGOF Guidelines for Clinical Practice - Surgical Management of Advanced Stages of Borderline Ovarian Tumours]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the surgical management of borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) in the framework of recommendations for clinical practice made by the National College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (CNGOF) METHODS: This is a comprehensive review of the literature on the advanced stages of BOT. Bibliographic selection was conducted in PubMed from 2007 to 2019 inclusive, selecting publications in English and French. Articles were selected on the basis of the title, then the abstract and finally the full article. The levels of evidence of the studies were defined according to the scale proposed by the High Authority of Health (HAS).

RESULTS

By analogy with epithelial ovarian cancer, in case of preoperative suspicion or after a postoperative diagnosis of advanced BOT, the patient must be referred to an expert centre in ovarian cancer (gradeC). There is no data from the literature to conclude that a hysterectomy should be performed routinely, however, the goal in the advanced stages of BOT is no tumor residue (gradeC). In advanced stages of BOT, systematic lymphadenectomy is not recommended, but excision of suspected lymph node on preoperative and intraoperative evaluation, for curative purposes, may be discussed to obtain no residual disease (gradeC). It is recommended to describe peritoneal carcinomatosis before any excision as well as tumor residues at the end of surgery (grade B). The use of a peritoneal carcinomatosis score to evaluate tumor burden such as the "Peritoneal Carcinosis Index" (PCI) is recommended (gradeC). For advanced stages of BOT, a conservative treatment with at least the preservation of the uterus and an ovarian fragment in a patient wishing a pregnancy may be proposed after Multidisciplinary Concertation Meeting (GradeC). Contralateral ovary biopsy is not recommended in advanced stage BOT (GradeC) but restaging surgery associated with removal of all tumor lesions is recommended when not performed initially (GradeC). It is not possible to make a recommendation on chemotherapy indication in advanced stages even with invasive implants.

CONCLUSION

The weakness of the literature and the retrospective nature of BOT advanced stage studies limit the grade of the recommendations.

Risk of specific types of ovarian cancer after borderline ovarian tumors in Denmark: A nationwide study

Population-based evidence regarding risk of ovarian cancer after a borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) is sparse. We aimed to examine the incidence of specific types of ovarian cancer in women with serous or mucinous BOTs in a nationwide cohort study with up to 36 years of follow-up. Using the nationwide Danish Pathology Data Bank, we identified 4,281 women with a BOT (2,058 serous BOTs and 2,223 mucinous BOTs) in Denmark during 1978-2012. We computed standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) to compare the incidence of ovarian cancer among women with BOTs compared to general population rates. We found that a serous BOT was especially and strongly associated with subsequent serous ovarian cancer (SIR = 9.2; 95% CI: 6.8-12.2), and that a mucinous BOT was strongly related to mucinous ovarian cancer (SIR = 18.6; 95% CI: 10.8-29.8). The SIRs remained elevated ≥10 years after a serous BOT and up to 5-9 years after a mucinous BOT. The increased incidence of serous ovarian cancer in women with a serous BOT was mostly pronounced in women <50 years at the serous BOT diagnosis. In conclusion, women with a serous BOT experience long-term increased incidence of serous ovarian cancer, and women with a mucinous BOT have long-term elevated incidence of mucinous ovarian cancer compared to the general population. This is the first population-based study to show compelling evidence of the histo-specific increased risk of ovarian cancer following specific types of BOTs. Thus, these results are supportive of the hypothesis that BOTs may be precursor lesions to carcinomas of the corresponding histologic type.

Uncommon borderline ovarian tumours: A clinicopathologic study of seventeen patients

Objective

To evaluate uncommon types of borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) and define the clinical, surgical, and pathologic features.

Material and Methods

Seventeen patients who were treated in our hospital between 1990 and 2017 were identified. Patients’ data were collected from the gynecologic oncology clinic electronic database, patients’ files, and pathology reports. Conservative surgery was defined as preservation of the uterus and at least part of one ovary.

Results

The mean age was 47 (range, 22-70) years. Based on histopathologic tumor type, there was mixed tumor in five (29.4%) patients, endometrioid-type in nine (52.9%), seromusinous-type in two (11.8%), and Brenner-type in one (5.9%). Conservative surgery was performed in 4 patients. Two patients with endometrioid BOT had synchronous endometrial pathology, including one (11%) patient with endometrial cancer, one (11%) with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, and 3 (33%) patients had endometriosis. The median follow-up was 19 (range, 1-137) months. No recurrence was observed during the follow-up period.

Conclusion

In our small volume case series, it could be said that non-serous/non-mucinous BOT has excellent prognosis. However, endometrial pathology should be checked in endometrioid type.

Diagnostic extended usefulness of RMI: comparison of four risk of malignancy index in preoperative differentiation of borderline ovarian tumors and benign ovarian tumors

Background

This study aimed to examine the performance of the four risk of malignancy index (RMI) in discriminating borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) and benign ovarian masses in daily clinical practice.

Methods

A total of 162 women with BOTs and 379 women with benign ovarian tumors diagnosed at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2012 to December 2016 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Also, we classified these patients into serous borderline ovarian tumor (SBOT) and mucinous borderline ovarian tumor (MBOT) subgroup. Preoperative ultrasound findings, cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and menopausal status were reviewed. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operator characteristic curves (ROC) and performance indices of RMI I, RMI II, RMI III and RMI IV were calculated and compared for discrimination between benign ovarian tumors and BOTs.

Results

RMI I had the highest AUC (0.825, 95% CI: 0.790–0.856) among the four RMIs in BOTs group. Similar results were found in SBOT (0.839, 95% CI: 0.804–0.871) and MBOT (0.791, 95% CI: 0.749–0.829) subgroups. RMI I had the highest specificity among the BOTs group (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%), SBOT (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%) and MBOT group (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%). RMI II scored the highest overall in terms of sensitivity among the BOTs group (69.75, 95% CI: 62.1–76.7%), SBOT (74.34, 95% CI: 65.3–82.1%) and MBOT (59.18, 95% CI: 44.2–73.0%) group.

Conclusion

Compared to other RMIs, RMI I was the best-performed method for differentiation of BOTs from benign ovarian tumors. At the same time, RMI I also performed best in the discrimination SBOT from benign ovarian tumors.

Intraoperative consultation for ovarian tumors

The primary function of intraoperative frozen consultation is to provide an as accurate and prompt diagnosis as possible during surgery and to guide the surgeon in further management. However, the evaluation of frozen section (FS) is sometimes difficult because of suboptimal tissue quality and frozen artifacts compared with routinely processed tissue section. The pathologist responsible for the FS diagnosis requires experience and good judgment. Ovarian tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors including primary surface epithelial tumors, germ cell tumors and sex cord-stromal tumors, secondary tumors, and other groups of tumors of uncertain histogenesis or nonspecific stroma. Intraoperative FS is a very important and reliable tool that guides the surgical management of ovarian tumors. In this review, the diagnostic key points for the pathologist and the implication of the FS diagnosis on the operator's decisions are discussed.

[Pitfalls and common problems in the differential diagnosis of epithelial ovarian tumors]

Epithelial ovarian tumors may cause various diagnostic problems of practical relevance. For the distinction between cystadenomas and borderline tumors/atypically proliferative tumors, a minimum extent of 10% of the atypical epithelial proliferation has been suggested by the WHO. The micropapillary variant of serous borderline tumors is more frequently associated with invasive growth and extraovarian lesions. Extraovarian lesions of borderline tumors are relevant for prognosis and cause a higher stage; their classification is crucial. Traditionally, they were classified into noninvasive and invasive implants based on their morphology. Based on the 2014 WHO classification, invasive lesions should be designated as low-grade serous carcinomas whereas only noninvasive lesions are considered implants. The most frequent invasive growth pattern in low-grade serous carcinomas consists of haphazardly arranged tumor cell nests and small papillae in clefts, whereas mucinous and endometrioid carcinomas mainly show a confluent glandular pattern with maze-like and cribriform structures. For metastatic mucinous tumors a nodular growth pattern is characteristic; ruling them out requires clinical information including imaging and immunohistochemistry. Differential diagnosis between low-grade and high-grade serous carcinoma is based on the degree of nuclear polymorphism and mitotic count. The seromucinous tumor category replaces the endocervical subtype of mucinous tumors and resembles histologically, biologically, and on the molecular level serous and endometrioid tumors. Endometrioid tumors with fibromatous stroma need to be distinguished from tumors with Sertoli cell differentiation and well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. For differential diagnosis of epithelial ovarian tumors, in particular carcinomas, a panel of antibodies for immunohistochemistry is very useful under consideration of histomorphology.

Borderline Ovarian Tumors: Fifteen Years' Experience at a Scottish Tertiary Cancer Center

OBJECTIVES

Since the recognition of borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) in the 1970s, the management of this subset of epithelial ovarian tumors has presented a challenge to clinicians. The majority present at an early stage, but their diagnosis is often only made following surgery, hence the heterogeneity of surgical management. Borderline ovarian tumors are morphologically diverse, and their behavior is subsequently also heterogeneous. We aimed to assess recurrence rates and the rate of malignant transformation in patients diagnosed with BOT. Secondary objectives included a review of current management and assessment of tumor markers, stage, cyst dimensions, and the presence of micropapillary features as prognostic indicators of recurrence.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included all patients treated with BOT between 2000 and 2015 in the southeast region of Scotland. Clinical, surgicopathological, and follow-up data were collated. Data were analyzed with reference to recurrence and malignant transformation.

RESULTS

Two hundred seventy-five patients underwent treatment for BOT in the study period. Surgical management was highly variable. A diagnosis of recurrent/persistent BOT or ovarian malignancy following initial treatment of BOT was rare, with only 12 (4%) of 275 cases. There were 7 cases (3%) of ovarian malignancy. Advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was the most prominent prognostic factor. Elevated preoperative serum CA-125 and the presence of micropapillary features correlated with advanced stage at presentation. With a lack of clear guidance, follow-up was highly variable with a median of 43 months (0-136 months).

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this study is the largest BOT cohort in the United Kingdom. Recurrent disease is rare in optimally staged, completely resected, early-stage BOT, without high-risk features. Caution is needed in women electing not to undergo completion staging after diagnosis and in those opting for a fertility-preserving approach. Thorough informed consent and clear plans for surveillance and follow-up are needed with consideration of delayed completion surgery as appropriate.

Histopathological markers of treatment response and recurrence risk in ovarian cancers and borderline tumors

Histopathology plays an important role in defining response to treatment for different tumor types. Histopathologic response criteria are currently used as reference standard in various types of cancer, including breast cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, and bone tumors. Since there were no generally accepted response criteria established for ovarian cancer, a systematic analysis of various features of tumor regression was performed. Patient survival served as the reference standard to validate the histopathologic features of tumor regression. In contrast to ovarian cancer, borderline ovarian tumors are epithelial ovarian neoplasms characterized by up-regulated cellular proliferation and cytologic atypia but without destructive stromal invasion. While borderline ovarian tumors generally have an excellent prognosis with a 5‑year survival of > 95%, recurrences and malignant transformation occur in a small percentage of patients. Nevertheless, the identification of patients at increased risk for recurrence remains difficult. The aim of studying histopathological markers in ovarian cancers and borderline tumors was to evaluate whether histopathologic features including molecular pathologic alterations can predict patient outcome, particularly the risk of recurrence of serous and mucinous borderline tumors.

RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF BORDERLINE OVARIAN TUMORS: OUTCOMES AT A SINGLE CENTER

We wanted to discuss our experiences in the approach to borderline ovarian tumors, which constitute a group different from epithelial ovarian tumors with respect to their biological structure in line with retrospective information gathered from our cases. A total of 25 patients operated on for the indication of adnexal masses diagnosed as borderline ovarian tumors based on frozen section results were included in our study. Patient age, tumor diameter, tumor markers and surgeries performed were discussed in the light of the literature. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software. The patient mean age was 43.84±11.34 years. The mass was localized in the right (n=13), left (n=11) or both (n=1) adnexal regions. The mean tumor diameter was 12.9±5.84 cm. Histopathologic examination established the diagnosis of serous borderline (n=14 patients) and mucinous borderline (n=11) ovarian tumors. Although the results of our study are consistent with current literature data, a greater number of current studies should be performed on borderline ovarian tumors, which are defined as a class of tumors different from epithelial ovarian tumors.

Assessing the landscape of ovarian serous borderline tumors

Aim

To compare distinct clinicopathological features between atypical proliferative serous tumors and non-invasive low-grade ovarian serous carcinomas.

Methods

Our study group comprised 203 cases of serous borderline tumors sub-classified as atypical proliferative serous tumors or as non-invasive low-grade serous carcinomas. All pathological features related to borderline tumors were re-evaluated by two gynecological pathologists. Data concerning recurrences and survival were retrieved from the medical records of the patients.

Results

When comparing atypical proliferative serous tumors to non-invasive low-grade serous carcinomas, the latter were statistically related to advanced stage at diagnosis, bilateral disease, exophytic pattern of growth, microinvasive carcinoma, and the presence of invasive implants. In univariate analysis, recurrences were statistically related to the exophytic pattern of growth, to microinvasion, and to the presence of implants (both invasive and non-invasive). Nevertheless, in multivariate analysis, only microinvasion and the presence of invasive implants were related to recurrence. Women who eventually succumbed to the disease were only those with invasive implants. Their ovarian tumor was either a non-invasive low-grade serous carcinoma or an atypical proliferative serous tumor with ‘minimal’ micropapillary pattern. Neither lymph node involvement nor endosalpingiosis seemed to influence the course of the disease.

Conclusions

The results of our study underline the increased possibility of non-invasive low-grade serous carcinomas to be related with features indicative of aggressive behavior as opposed to atypical proliferative serous tumors. Nevertheless, irrespective of tumor histology, the presence of invasive implants and microinvasion were the only independent prognostications of recurrence.

Claudin-1 is linked to presence of implants and micropapillary pattern in serous borderline epithelial tumours of the ovary

AIMS

Expression of Claudin-1 has been associated with prognosis in several cancers. Here we investigated the expression pattern of Claudin-1 in borderline tumours of the ovary (BOT).

METHODS

We analysed a cohort of 114 cases of borderline tumour (BOT). Claudin-1 expression was studied by immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody and was compared with clinical and histopathological characteristics.

RESULTS

Strong Claudin-1 expression was found in 30 cases (26.3%) independent of histological subtype. Expression was significantly less frequent in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I (p= 0.045), while the presence of microinvasion did not correlate with Claudin-1 expression. In contrast, we detected a highly significant association of Claudin-1 expression with the presence of peritoneal implants (p=0.003) and micropapillary pattern (p=0.047), which are features exclusively seen in serous BOT. Moreover, when we restricted our analysis to the subtype of serous BOT, the association of Claudin-1 expression with peritoneal implants (p<0.001) and micropapillary pattern (p =0.003) remained highly significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, Claudin-1 expression is associated with the presence of peritoneal implants and micropapillary pattern, which have been shown to be associated with poor prognosis. We speculate that overexpression of Claudin-1 might be linked to the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activation in BOT and suggest further studies to define its prognostic and potential therapeutic value.

Age-dependent difference in impact of fertility preserving surgery on disease-specific survival in women with stage I borderline ovarian tumors

Background

This study was to determine age-specific impact of fertility preserving surgery on disease-specific survival in women with stage I borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs). Patients diagnosed during 1988–2000 were selected from The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The age-specific impact of fertility preserving surgery and other risk factors were analyzed in patients with stage I BOTs using Cox proportion hazard regression models. Data from our hospital were collected during 1996–2017 to determine the prevalence of patients who had undergone fertility preserving surgery.

Results

Of a total 6295 patients in the SEER database, this study selected 2946 patients with stage T1 BOTs who underwent fertility preserving or radical surgery. Their median age at diagnosis was 45.0 years and the median follow-up time was 200 months. Fertility preserving surgery was performed in 1000/1751 (57.1%) patients < 50 years and in 1,81/1195 (15.1%) patients ≥50 years. Fertility preserving surgery was significantly associated with worse disease-specific survival only in patients ≥50 years. Increased age, stage T1c and mucinous histology were risk factors for overall patients or patients ≥50 years, but not for < 50 years. Data from our hospital showed that fertility preserving surgery was performed in 53.9 and 12.3%patients < 50 and ≥ 50 years with stage I disease, respectively.

Conclusion

Fertility preserving surgery is safe for women < 50 years with early staged BOTs, but it may decrease disease-specific survival in patients ≥50 years. Conservative surgery is performed at a relatively high rate in patients ≥50 years.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13048-018-0423-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

miR-152 is involved in the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer through repression of ERBB3

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in post-transcriptional regulation by targeting the 3' untranslated region of target genes that are involved in diverse biological processes. To the best of our knowledge, the association between miR‑152 and ERBB3 in ovarian cancer remains unclear. In the present study, a negative correlation between miR‑152 and ERBB3 in ovarian cancer was observed. The luciferase reporter gene assay results demonstrated that miR‑152 negatively regulated ERBB3 in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, our results revealed that miR‑152 suppressed the ability of ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis through inhibiting ERBB3 in vitro. Therefore, in the present study, miR‑152 was found to be involved in the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells through repression of ERBB3 expression. Therefore, miR‑152 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

CT Features of Ovarian Tumors: Defining Key Differences Between Serous Borderline Tumors and Low-Grade Serous Carcinomas

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to investigate whether the CT features of serous borderline tumors (SBTs) differ from those of low-grade serous carcinomas (LGSCs) and to evaluate if mutation status is associated with distinct CT phenotypes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 59 women, 37 with SBT and 22 with LGSC, who underwent CT before primary surgical resection. Thirty of 59 patients were genetically profiled. Two radiologists (readers 1 and 2) independently and retrospectively reviewed CT examinations for qualitative features and quantified total tumor volumes (TTVs), solid tumor volumes (STVs), and solid proportion of ovarian masses. Univariate and multivariate associations of the CT features with histopathologic diagnoses and mutations were evaluated, and interreader agreement was determined.

RESULTS

At multivariate analysis, the presence of bilateral ovarian masses (p = 0.03), the presence of peritoneal disease (PD) (p = 0.002), and higher STV of ovarian masses (p = 0.002) were associated with LGSC. The presence of nodular PD pattern (p < 0.001 each reader) and the presence of PD calcifications (reader 1, p = 0.02; reader 2, p = 0.003) were associated with invasive peritoneal lesions (i.e., LGSC). The presence of bilateral ovarian masses (p = 0.04 each reader), PD (reader 1, p = 0.01; reader 2, p = 0.004), and higher STV (p = 0.03 for each reader) were associated with the absence of BRAF mutation (i.e., wild type [wt]-BRAF).

CONCLUSION

The CT features of LGSCs were distinct from those of SBTs. The CT manifestations of LGSC and the wt-BRAF phenotype were similar.

Long-term Behavior of Serous Borderline Tumors Subdivided Into Atypical Proliferative Tumors and Noninvasive Low-grade Carcinomas: A Population-based Clinicopathologic Study of 942 Cases

Ovarian serous borderline tumors (SBTs) have been the subject of considerable controversy, particularly with regard to terminology and behavior. It has been proposed that they constitute a heterogenous group of tumors composed, for the most part, of typical SBTs that are benign and designated "atypical proliferative serous tumor (APST)" and a small subset of SBTs with micropapillary architecture that have a poor outcome and are designated "noninvasive low-grade serous carcinoma (niLGSC)". It also has been argued that the difference in behavior between the 2 groups is not due to the subtype of the primary tumor but rather the presence of extraovarian disease, specifically invasive implants. According to the terminology of the 2014 WHO Classification, typical SBTs are equivalent to APSTs and SBTs displaying micropapillary architecture are synonymous with niLGSC. In addition, "invasive implants" were renamed "low-grade serous carcinoma" (LGSC). The argument as to whether it is the appearance of the primary tumor or the presence of extraovarian LGSC that determines outcome remains unsettled. The current study was initiated in 2004 and was designed to determine what factors were predictive of outcome, with special attention to the appearance of the primary tumor (APST vs. niLGSC) and that of the extraovarian disease (noninvasive vs. invasive implants). Our study is population based, involving the entire female population of Denmark. None of the women in the study were lost to follow-up, which ranged up to 36 years (median, 15 y). All the microscopic slides from the contributing hospitals were rereviewed by a panel of 2 pathologists (R.V. and R.J.K.) who were blinded to the follow-up. After excluding those that were not SBTs by the pathology panel, as well as cases with a prior or concurrent cancer or undefined stage, 942 women remained, of which 867 were APSTs and 75 were niLGSCs. The median patient age was 50 years (range, 16 to 97 y). Eight hundred nine women (86%) presented with FIGO stage I disease, whereas 133 (14%) had advanced stage disease. Compared with APSTs, niLGSC exhibited a significantly greater frequency of bilaterality, residual gross disease after surgery, microinvasion/microinvasive carcinoma, advanced stage disease, and invasive implants at presentation (P-values <0.003). Because the cause of death is difficult to accurately ascertain from death certificates, we used development of invasive serous carcinoma as the primary endpoint as following development of carcinoma, the mortality is very high. In the entire cohort, subsequent development of carcinoma occurred in 4%, of which 93% were low grade and 7% high grade (median time, 10 y; range, up to 25 y). After adjusting for age at and time since diagnosis of APST or niLGSC, occurrence of subsequent carcinoma was significantly higher with niLGSC than APST among all stages combined (hazard ratio [HR]=3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-8.2). This difference was still significant for stage I but not advanced stage cases. Moreover, all-cause mortality was not statistically significantly different between APST and niLGSC. Of all women with advanced stage disease, 114 (86%) had noninvasive implants, whereas 19 (14%) were invasive. Noninvasive implants were significantly associated with subsequent development of carcinoma (HR=7.7; 95% CI, 3.9-15.0), but the risk with invasive implants was significantly higher (HR=42.3; 95% CI, 16.1-111.1). In conclusion, although invasive implants are the most important feature in predicting an adverse outcome, subclassification into APST and niLGSC is important as it stratifies women with respect to risk for advanced stage disease and invasive implants for all women and development of serous carcinoma for stage I cases.

Imaging in gynecological disease (11): clinical and ultrasound features of mucinous ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical and ultrasound findings in patients with mucinous ovarian tumors.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, women with a histological diagnosis of mucinous ovarian tumor who had undergone preoperative ultrasound examination were identified from the database of a single ultrasound center. The histological examination was performed by the same pathologist in all cases, and the ultrasound appearance of the tumors was described using the terms and definitions of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis group.

RESULTS

We identified 123 women with a histological diagnosis of mucinous ovarian tumor, of whom 57 (46%) had benign cystadenoma, 34 (28%) had gastrointestinal (GI)-type borderline tumor, 10 (8%) had endocervical-type borderline tumor and 22 (18%) had GI-type invasive carcinoma. On ultrasound examination, 65% (37/57) of cystadenomas were multilocular, of which 59% had ≤ 10 locules, and 79% (27/34) of GI-type borderline tumors were multilocular, of which 89% had > 10 locules. Conversely, 60% (6/10) of endocervical-type borderline tumors had papillations. Eighty-two percent (18/22) of invasive masses contained solid components and 55% (12/22) were multilocular-solid cysts. Bilateral mucinous cystadenomas were found in two women (4% of women with benign tumors) and bilateral borderline tumors of endocervical type in two women (20% of women with borderline tumors of endocervical type). No woman had a bilateral GI-type borderline tumor or a bilateral invasive tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

A multilocular cyst with 2-10 locules is representative of a benign cystadenoma, whereas a multilocular cyst with > 10 locules is indicative of a GI-type borderline tumor. Most invasive tumors of mucinous GI-type contain solid components, the most typical ultrasound appearance being that of a multilocular-solid tumor. Papillary projections are typical features of endocervical-type borderline tumors. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long-term Behavior of Serous Borderline Tumors Subdivided Into Atypical Proliferative Tumors and Noninvasive Low-grade Carcinomas: A Population-based Clinicopathologic Study of 942 Cases

Ovarian serous borderline tumors (SBTs) have been the subject of considerable controversy, particularly with regard to terminology and behavior. It has been proposed that they constitute a heterogenous group of tumors composed, for the most part, of typical SBTs that are benign and designated "atypical proliferative serous tumor (APST)" and a small subset of SBTs with micropapillary architecture that have a poor outcome and are designated "noninvasive low-grade serous carcinoma (niLGSC)". It also has been argued that the difference in behavior between the 2 groups is not due to the subtype of the primary tumor but rather the presence of extraovarian disease, specifically invasive implants. According to the terminology of the 2014 WHO Classification, typical SBTs are equivalent to APSTs and SBTs displaying micropapillary architecture are synonymous with niLGSC. In addition, "invasive implants" were renamed "low-grade serous carcinoma" (LGSC). The argument as to whether it is the appearance of the primary tumor or the presence of extraovarian LGSC that determines outcome remains unsettled. The current study was initiated in 2004 and was designed to determine what factors were predictive of outcome, with special attention to the appearance of the primary tumor (APST vs. niLGSC) and that of the extraovarian disease (noninvasive vs. invasive implants). Our study is population based, involving the entire female population of Denmark. None of the women in the study were lost to follow-up, which ranged up to 36 years (median, 15 y). All the microscopic slides from the contributing hospitals were rereviewed by a panel of 2 pathologists (R.V. and R.J.K.) who were blinded to the follow-up. After excluding those that were not SBTs by the pathology panel, as well as cases with a prior or concurrent cancer or undefined stage, 942 women remained, of which 867 were APSTs and 75 were niLGSCs. The median patient age was 50 years (range, 16 to 97 y). Eight hundred nine women (86%) presented with FIGO stage I disease, whereas 133 (14%) had advanced stage disease. Compared with APSTs, niLGSC exhibited a significantly greater frequency of bilaterality, residual gross disease after surgery, microinvasion/microinvasive carcinoma, advanced stage disease, and invasive implants at presentation (P-values <0.003). Because the cause of death is difficult to accurately ascertain from death certificates, we used development of invasive serous carcinoma as the primary endpoint as following development of carcinoma, the mortality is very high. In the entire cohort, subsequent development of carcinoma occurred in 4%, of which 93% were low grade and 7% high grade (median time, 10 y; range, up to 25 y). After adjusting for age at and time since diagnosis of APST or niLGSC, occurrence of subsequent carcinoma was significantly higher with niLGSC than APST among all stages combined (hazard ratio [HR]=3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-8.2). This difference was still significant for stage I but not advanced stage cases. Moreover, all-cause mortality was not statistically significantly different between APST and niLGSC. Of all women with advanced stage disease, 114 (86%) had noninvasive implants, whereas 19 (14%) were invasive. Noninvasive implants were significantly associated with subsequent development of carcinoma (HR=7.7; 95% CI, 3.9-15.0), but the risk with invasive implants was significantly higher (HR=42.3; 95% CI, 16.1-111.1). In conclusion, although invasive implants are the most important feature in predicting an adverse outcome, subclassification into APST and niLGSC is important as it stratifies women with respect to risk for advanced stage disease and invasive implants for all women and development of serous carcinoma for stage I cases.

Parity, infertility, oral contraceptives, and hormone replacement therapy and the risk of ovarian serous borderline tumors: A nationwide case-control study

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have examined the risk of an ovarian serous borderline tumor (SBT) associated with parity, infertility, oral contraceptives (OCs), or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which was the study aim.

METHODS

This nationwide case-control study included all women with an SBT diagnosis in Denmark, 1978-2002. SBTs were confirmed by centralized expert pathology review. For each case, 15 age-matched female controls were randomly selected using risk-set sampling. Cases and controls with previous cancer (except for non-melanoma skin cancer) and controls with bilateral oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy were excluded. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

We found a strongly decreased risk of SBTs among parous women which decreased with increasing number of children (p<0.01). Older age at first birth also decreased the SBT risk (p=0.03). An increased SBT risk was associated with infertility (OR=3.31; 95% CI: 2.44-4.49), which was present both among parous and nulliparous women. HRT use increased the SBT risk (OR=1.32; 95% CI: 1.02-1.72), whereas OC use decreased the risk (OR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.26-0.62).

CONCLUSIONS

Our nationwide study with expert histopathologic review of all SBTs showed that parity, infertility, use of HRT, and use of OCs, respectively, were strongly associated with the risk of SBTs. This is the first study to report a strong and significantly decreased SBT risk associated with OC use and a significantly increased risk with infertility, and HRT use. This supports that SBTs and serous ovarian cancer share similar risk factors.

Ovarian borderline tumors in the 2014 WHO classification: evolving concepts and diagnostic criteria

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) are uncommon but not rare epithelial ovarian neoplasms, intermediate between benign and malignant categories. Since BOT were first identified >40 years ago, they have inspired controversies disproportionate to their incidence. This review discusses diagnostic criteria for the histologic subtypes of BOT, highlighting areas of diagnostic challenges, ongoing controversies, and changes in terminology implemented by the recent 2014 WHO Classification of Tumours of the Female Genital Organs. Emerging knowledge supports the notion that subtypes of borderline ovarian tumors comprise distinct biologic, pathogenetic, and molecular entities, precluding a single unifying concept for BOT. Serous borderline tumors (SBT) share molecular and genetic alterations with low-grade serous carcinomas and can present at higher stages with peritoneal implants and/or lymph node involvement, which validates their borderline malignant potential. All other (non-serous) subtypes of BOT commonly present at stage I confined to the ovary(ies) and are associated with overall survival approaching that of the general population. An important change in the WHO 2014 classification is the new terminology of non-invasive implants associated with SBT, as any invasive foci (previously called “invasive implants”) are now in line with their biological behavior considered peritoneal low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC). The controversy regarding the terminology of non-serous borderline tumors, called by some pathologists “atypical proliferative tumor” in view of their largely benign behavior, has not been resolved. The concepts of intraepithelial carcinoma and microinvasion may evolve in further studies, as their presence appears to have no prognostic impact and is subject to considerable inter-observer variability.

Long-term survival in women with borderline ovarian tumors: a population-based survey of borderline ovarian tumors in Sweden 1960-2007

INTRODUCTION

We conducted an evaluation of incidence and survival of women with borderline ovarian tumors in Sweden.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All women diagnosed with borderline ovarian tumor in the Swedish Cancer Register 1960-2007 (n = 6252) combined with follow up in the Swedish Death Registry to 1 July 2009 were included. Estimation of age-standardized relative survival rate according to time periods for diagnosis.

RESULTS

The incidence of borderline ovarian tumors increased during the study period, with a steep increase during the 1980s. The age standardized 5-year relative survival including all borderline tumors diagnosed 2000-07 was 97% (95% CI 92-99%). In women aged ≤64 years, the 10-year relative survival related to age at diagnosis of borderline tumors ranged from 95 to 98% and was 89% in women aged 65-74 years. In a multivariable analysis including age and decade of diagnosis relative survival for every decade increased. The 10-year relative survival in women with mucinous and serous borderline tumors did not differ significantly (p = 0.121).

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the present study are reassuring about long-term survival in women with borderline ovarian tumors. The age-standardized relative survival rate increased across time periods for diagnosis. There was no difference in long-term survival between mucinous and serous borderline ovarian tumors.

Is there a justification for hysterectomy in patients with borderline ovarian tumors?

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of uterine involvement in patients with borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) and to evaluate the recurrence risk and survival after hysterectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In two French hospitals: A tertiary referral centre (University hospital centre of Tours, France) and the Alliance community hospital of Tours (France), we reviewed data of consecutive women undergoing surgery for presumed stage I BOT between January 1997 and December 2012. Patients were divided into two groups: patients treated with fertility sparing surgery (group 1) and those treated with radical surgery (group 2).

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients were evaluated. 35 had fertility sparing surgery, 81 had radical surgery with hysterectomy and 19 had previous hysterectomy for other reasons. There were more recurrent borderline ovarian disease and more ovarian invasive disease developed in group 1 (p = 0.02, p = 0.04, respectively). Hysterectomy affected favorably borderline disease-free survival, OR = 0.09 95%CI (0.005-0.69), p = 0.04, but perceived benefits may be related to bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and not hysterectomy directly.

microRNA-181a has a critical role in ovarian cancer progression through the regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Effective targets to treat advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and biomarkers to predict treatment response are still lacking because of the complexity of pathways involved in ovarian cancer progression. Here we show that miR-181a promotes TGF-β-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via repression of its functional target, Smad7. miR-181a and phosphorylated Smad2 are enriched in recurrent compared with matched-primary ovarian tumours and their expression is associated with shorter time to recurrence and poor outcome in patients with EOC. Furthermore, ectopic expression of miR-181a results in increased cellular survival, migration, invasion, drug resistance and in vivo tumour burden and dissemination. In contrast, miR-181a inhibition via decoy vector suppression and Smad7 re-expression results in significant reversion of these phenotypes. Combined, our findings highlight an unappreciated role for miR-181a, Smad7, and the TGF-β signalling pathway in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage when metastasis has already occurred. In this study, Parikh et al. show that mir-181a is involved in mediating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer, leading to activation of the TGF-β signalling pathway and metastasis.

Data set for reporting of ovary, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal carcinoma: recommendations from the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR)

A comprehensive pathological report is essential for optimal patient management, cancer staging and prognostication. In many countries, proforma reports are used but these vary in their content. The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) is an alliance formed by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, the Royal College of Pathologists of the United Kingdom, the College of American Pathologists, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and the European Society of Pathology, with the aim of developing an evidence-based reporting data set for each cancer site. This will reduce the global burden of cancer data set development and reduplication of effort by different international institutions that commission, publish and maintain standardised cancer reporting data sets. The resultant standardisation of cancer reporting will benefit not only those countries directly involved in the collaboration but also others not in a position to develop their own data sets. We describe the development of a cancer data set by the ICCR expert panel for the reporting of primary ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal carcinoma and present the 'required' and 'recommended' elements to be included in the report with an explanatory commentary. This data set encompasses the recent International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists staging system for these neoplasms and the updated World Health Organisation Classification of Tumours of the Female Reproductive Organs. The data set also addresses issues about site assignment of the primary tumour in high-grade serous carcinomas and proposes a scoring system for the assessment of tumour response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The widespread implementation of this data set will facilitate consistent and accurate data collection, comparison of epidemiological and pathological parameters between different populations, facilitate research and hopefully will result in improved patient management.

Ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma with a noninvasive growth pattern simulating a serous borderline tumor

Ovarian serous borderline tumors (SBTs) being a precursor of low-grade serous carcinomas are morphologically characterized by noninvasive growth and low-grade cytology. On the other hand, many pathologists regard cytologically high-grade, noninvasive (HG-noninv) ovarian serous tumors resembling SBTs in low magnification as conventional high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs) by personal experiences. Nonetheless, there are no established molecular characteristic of such tumors. In this study, therefore, we attempted to provide the molecular evidence. We selected 37 ovarian serous tumors that exhibited a cytologically HG-noninv growth pattern, including 36 tumors that coexisted with conventional invasive HGSC components (HG-inv) and a single tumor exclusively composed of pure HG-noninv. Histologically, all HG-noninv showed many mitotic figures, and serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas were identified in 3 tumors with HG-noninv. Immunohistochemically, most HG-noninv showed aberrant p53 expression, frequent IMP3 positivity, p16 overexpression, a high MIB-1 labeling index, and infrequent PAX2. By molecular analysis, the pure HG-noninv and 13 HGSCs with HG-noninv showed TP53 mutations, but KRAS/BRAF mutations were not detected in any of them. In 1 tumor, we detected an identical TP53 mutation in both HG-noninv and HG-inv components by using laser capture microdissection. These immunohistochemical and molecular features of HG-noninv were similar to those of conventional invasive HGSCs but different from those of SBTs. In conclusion, our results showed that a cytologically HG-noninv growth pattern simulating an SBT is a morphological spectrum of HGSC, but not a true SBT.

The value of random biopsies, omentectomy, and hysterectomy in operations for borderline ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) are treated surgically like malignant ovarian tumors with hysterectomy, salpingectomy, omentectomy, and multiple random peritoneal biopsies in addition to removal of the ovaries. It is, however, unknown how often removal of macroscopically normal-appearing tissues leads to the finding of microscopic disease. To evaluate the value of random biopsies, omentectomy, and hysterectomy in operations for BOT, the macroscopic and microscopic findings in a cohort of these patients were reviewed retrospectively.

MATERIALS

Women treated for BOT at Odense University Hospital from 2007 to 2011 were eligible for this study. Data were extracted from electronic records. Intraoperative assessment of tumor spread (macroscopic disease) and the microscopic evaluation of removed tissues were the main outcome measures.

RESULTS

The study included 75 patients, 59 (78.7%) in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I, 9 (12%) in stage II, and 7 (9.3%) in stage III. The histologic subtypes were serous (68%), mucinous (30.7%), and Brenner type (1.3%). Macroscopically radical surgery was performed in 62 patients (82.7%), and 46 (61.3%) received complete staging. The surgeon's identification of macroscopic tumor spread to the contralateral ovary and the peritoneum had a sensitivity of 88% and 69.2% and a specificity of 90.2% and 92.5%, respectively. The macroscopic assessment of the uterine surface, the omentum, and the pelvic and para-aortal lymph nodes was not a good predictor of microscopic disease. During follow-up, 4 patients (5.3%) relapsed with no relation to surgical radicality or the extent of staging procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Ovaries and peritoneal surfaces with a macroscopically normal appearance rarely contain a microscopic focus of BOT.

Is target oriented surgery sufficient with borderline ovarian tumors? - Role of accompanying pathologies

BACKGROUND

There are limited data in the literature related to concomitant genital or extra-genital organ pathologies in patients with borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs). The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience with 183 patients to draw attention to the accompanying organ pathologies with BOTs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred eighty-three patients with BOTs, diagnosed and/or treated in our center between January of 2000 and March of 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. Data related to age, tumor histology, lesion side, disease stage, accompanying incidental ipsilateral and/or contralateral ovarian pathologies, treatment approaches, and follow-up periods were investigated. Incidental gynecologic and non-gynecologic concomitant organ pathologies were also recorded.

RESULTS

The mean age at diagnosis was 40.6 years (range: 17-78). Ninety- five patients (51%) were ≤40 years. A hundred and forty-seven patients (80%) were at stage IA of the disease. The most common type of BOT was serous in histology. Non-invasive tumor implants were diagnosed in 4% and uterine involvement was found 2% among patients who underwent hysterectomies. There were 12 patients with positive peritoneal washings. Only 17 and 84 patients respectively had concomitant ipsilateral and concomitant contralateral incidental ovarian pathologies. The most common type of uterine, appendicular and omental pathologies were chronic cervicitis, lymphoid hyperplasia and chronic inflammatory reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our findings most of accompanying pathologies for BOT are benign in nature. Nevertheless, there were additional malignant diseases necessitating further therapy. We emphasize the importance of the evaluation of all abdominal organs during surgery.

Retrospective evaluation of borderline ovarian tumors: single center experience of 183 cases

PURPOSE

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) constitute about a quarter of epithelial ovarian malignancies and require different treatment approaches. The present study aims to document the experience of a single center on the treatment outcome of women who had conservative or comprehensive surgery for BOTs.

METHODS

One hundred eighty-three patients with BOTs, diagnosed and/or treated in our center between January of 2000 and March of 2013, were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean age at diagnosis was 40.6 years old (range 17-78). Ninety-five patients (51 %) were ≤40 years. Comprehensive surgical staging and fertility sparing surgery were performed in 49 % (n = 91) and 48 % of patients (n = 89) respectively. A hundred and forty-seven patients had stage IA disease (80 %). The most common type of BOT was serous in histology with 18 % bilateralism. CA-125 and CA-199 levels were increased in 29 (19 %) and 15 (10 %) patients with stage IA disease. Non-invasive tumor implants were diagnosed in 9 patients (4 %) and uterine involvement was 2 % among BOT patients that underwent hysterectomies. The mean post-operative follow-up period was 20.4 months (range 6-78 months). Disease recurrence was seen in 5 patients indicating overall recurrence rate of 2.7 %.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, we evaluated a large data pool of 183 patients diagnosed with borderline epithelial ovarian tumors. BOTs have a relatively better prognosis than invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Surgery with proper staging is the cornerstone of treatment. Patients with BOTs at the early stage can undergo fertility sparing surgery with close follow-up.

Bevacizumab shows activity in patients with low-grade serous ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer

OBJECTIVE

Low-grade serous (LGS) ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer is a rare disease with limited therapeutic options. Low response rates are observed with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, significant responses have been reported in patients treated with bevacizumab. The objective of this study was to determine the response rate to bevacizumab with or without concurrent chemotherapy in patients with recurrent serous borderline or LGS ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer.

METHODS

This single-institution retrospective study examined the response rate to treatment with bevacizumab in patients with serous borderline or LGS cancer. Patients were treated at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 2005 and 2012. The best overall response was determined with the use of the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.

RESULTS

A total of 17 patients were identified, 15 of whom were evaluable for the primary end point of best overall response. Two patients were treated with bevacizumab as a single agent, and the remainder received bevacizumab in conjunction with chemotherapy (paclitaxel, topotecan, oral cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, or gemcitabine and carboplatin). The median duration of bevacizumab administration in evaluable patients was 23 weeks (mean, 32.2 weeks; range, 6-79.4 weeks). There were no complete responses. Partial responses were observed in 6 patients (5 patients received concurrent paclitaxel, and 1 patient received concurrent gemcitabine). The overall response rate was 40%, with a response rate of 55% among the subgroup of patients with LGS cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy is an active treatment for recurrent LGS ovarian cancer. A prospective trial of bevacizumab in combination with paclitaxel for the treatment of LGS ovarian cancer should be considered.

Evaluation of microinvasion and lymph node involvement in ovarian serous borderline/atypical proliferative serous tumors: a morphologic and immunohistochemical analysis of 37 cases

Most of the literature on serous borderline/atypical proliferative serous tumors (SBT/APSTs) shows no effect of microinvasion or lymph node involvement on outcome. This study is a morphologic and immunohistochemical analysis of the cells comprising SBT/APSTs, microinvasion, lymph node involvement, and low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC) in an attempt to explain this unusual behavior. We found that the cells in microinvasion and in lymph nodes were morphologically similar to the cells in SBT/APSTs but differed significantly from the cells in LGSCs. In addition, one particular population of cells, those with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm (eosinophilic cells), in SBT/APSTs, microinvasion, and lymph nodes showed a significant loss of expression of ER, PR, and WT-1 compared with the cuboidal/columnar tumor cells, both in cases of microinvasion (P<0.001 for all 3 markers) and lymph node involvement (P<0.001, P=0.02, P=0.002, respectively). There was a significant decrease in the Ki-67 proliferation index for microinvasion (P=0.004) and a decreasing trend for lymph node involvement (nonsignificant) compared with the columnar/cuboidal cells. In addition, cells in these tumors showed morphologic evidence of apoptosis, which was confirmed by immunostaining with M30, a marker of apoptosis. In contrast, LGSCs lacked eosinophilic cells and showed no loss of expression of ER, PR, and WT-1. They also had a significantly higher Ki-67 proliferation index than their associated SBT/APSTs (P=0.029). On the basis of these findings, we propose that the cells comprising microinvasion do not represent an invasive neoplastic process. Instead, in view of the loss of expression of ER, PR, and WT-1, evidence of apoptosis, and decrease in the Ki-67 proliferation index, we postulate that they are senescent and terminally differentiated with a subset of cells undergoing apoptosis, which could explain their lack of an adverse effect on outcome.

A nationwide study of serous "borderline" ovarian tumors in Denmark 1978-2002: centralized pathology review and overall survival compared with the general population

OBJECTIVE

To describe the study population and estimate overall survival of women with a serous "borderline" ovarian tumor (SBT) in Denmark over 25 years relative to the general population.

METHODS

The Danish Pathology Data Bank and the Danish Cancer Registry were used to identify 1487 women diagnosed with SBTs from 1978 to 2002. The histologic slides were collected from Danish pathology departments and reviewed by expert pathologists and classified as SBT/atypical proliferative serous tumor (APST) or noninvasive low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC). Associated implants were classified as noninvasive or invasive. Medical records were collected from hospital departments and reviewed. Data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and relative survival was estimated with follow-up through September 2, 2013.

RESULTS

A cohort of 1042 women with a confirmed SBT diagnosis was identified. Women with stage I had an overall survival similar to the overall survival expected from the general population (p=0.3), whereas women with advanced stage disease had a poorer one (p<0.0001). This was evident both in women with noninvasive (p<0.0001) and invasive implants (p<0.0001). Only among women with advanced stage, overall survival of women with SBT/APST (p<0.0001) and noninvasive LGSC (p<0.0001) was poorer than expected from the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

To date this is the largest nationwide cohort of SBTs where all tumors have been verified by expert pathologists. Only in women with advanced stage SBT, overall survival is poorer than in the general population which applies both to women with noninvasive and invasive implants as well as to women with SBT/APST and noninvasive LGSC.

External multicentre validation of a nomogram predicting the risk of relapse in patients with borderline ovarian tumours

Background:

The Obermair nomogram was recently developed to predict the risk of relapse in patients with borderline ovarian tumours (BOTs) based on five readily available clinical, biological, and pathological characteristics. We set out to externally validate and assess its robustness using a multi-institutional BOT database.

Methods:

All consecutive patients treated for BOTs in the two participating centres between January 1980 and December 2008 and who had all the nomogram variables documented were identified for analysis.

Results:

Three hundred and fourteen eligible patients were identified and used for external validation analysis. The median follow-up and initial relapse time were 46.43 (range: 0.1–360) and 66.64 (range: 8–77) months, respectively. The nomogram concordance index was 0.54 (95% CI, 0.52–0.56). The correspondence between the actual relapse and the nomogram predictions suggests a limited calibration of the nomogram in the validation cohort.

Conclusion:

This external validation study of the Obermair nomogram showed limitations in its generalisability to a new and independent patient population.

Whole exome sequence analysis of serous borderline tumors of the ovary

OBJECTIVE

Serous borderline tumor (SBT) is a unique histopathologic entity of the ovary, believed to be intermediate between benign cystadenoma and invasive low-grade serous carcinoma. While somatic mutations in the KRAS or BRAF, and rarely ERBB2, genes have been well characterized in SBTs, other genetic alterations have not been described. Toward a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular genetic architecture of SBTs, we undertook whole exome sequencing of this tumor type.

METHODS

Following pathologic review and laser capture microdissection to enrich for tumor cells, whole exomes were prepared from DNA of two independent SBTs and subjected to massively parallel DNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Both tumors contained an activating mutation of the BRAF gene. A total of 15 additional somatic mutations were identified, nine in one tumor and six in the other. Eleven were missense mutations and four were nonsense or deletion mutations. Fourteen of the 16 genes found to be mutated in this study have been reported to be mutated in other cancers. Furthermore, 12 of these genes are mutated in ovarian cancers. The FBXW7 and KIAA1462 genes are noteworthy candidates for a pathogenic role in serous borderline tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that a very small number of somatic genetic mutations are characteristic of SBTs of the ovary, thus supporting their classification as a relatively genetically stable tumor type. The mutant genes described herein represent novel candidates for the pathogenesis of ovarian SBT.