Endometriosis-associated Ovarian Cancer is a Subset With a More Favorable Outcome and Distinct Clinical-pathologic Characteristics

Rare Mullerian adenosarcoma of the uterine cervix arising on a background of endometriosis: A diagnostic challenge with risk of malignant transformation-A case report and review of the current literature

Endometriosis may contribute to Mullerian adenosarcoma development but makes diagnosis challenging given similar symptoms. Survival benefit has not been definitively shown for chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiotherapy, consolidating surgery as the mainstay treatment. Local excision may be a treatment option for patients with confined tumors wishing to preserve their fertility.

Research progress in endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer

Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) is a unique subtype of ovarian malignant tumor originating from endometriosis (EMS) malignant transformation, which has gradually become one of the hot topics in clinical and basic research in recent years. According to clinicopathological and epidemiological findings, precancerous lesions of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma (OEC) are considered as EMS. Given the large number of patients with endometriosis and its long time window for malignant transformation, sufficient attention should be paid to EAOC. At present, the pathogenesis of EAOC has not been clarified, no reliable biomarkers have been found in the diagnosis, and there is still a lack of basis and targets for stratified management and precise treatment in the treatment. At the same time, due to the long medical history of patients, the fast growth rate of cancer cells, and the possibility of eliminating the earliest endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer, it is difficult to find the corresponding histological evidence. As a result, few patients are finally diagnosed with EAOC, which increases the difficulty of in-depth study of EAOC. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical diagnosis, new treatment strategies and prognosis of endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer, and prospects the future direction of basic research and clinical transformation, in order to achieve stratified management and personalized treatment of ovarian cancer patients.

Association Between Endometriosis and Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Objective

Increased risk of ovarian cancer (OC) among endometriosis patients has been proposed. However, the association between endometriosis and prognosis of OC remains controversial. This study evaluated whether endometriosis had influence on the survival outcomes of OC through a meta-analysis.

Methods

Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases and were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Effect size was presented as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity test evaluation was performed using Cochran’s Q test and I2 statistics. Publication bias was determined using Egger’s test. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software.

Results

Twenty-one studies involving 38641 patients were included. For the total OC, there were significant differences in overall survival (OS) [HR (95% CI)=0.67 (0.55, 0.80), P<0.001] and progression-free survival (PFS) [HR (95% CI)=0.58 (0.42, 0.81), P=0.001] between endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) and non-EAOC patients in the random-effects models (P<0.05). For ovarian clear cell cancer, there were significant differences in terms of OS [HR (95% CI)=0.63 (0.48, 0.83), P=0.001] and PFS [HR (95% CI)=0.67 (0.52, 0.87), P=0.002] between EAOC and non-EAOC patients in the fixed-effects models (P>0.05). Subgroup analysis suggested no significant differences between EAOC and non-EAOC in OS and PFS in the univariate analysis per subgroup, and PFS in the American subgroup (P>0.05).

Conclusion

EAOC patients tended to have better OS and PFS than non-EAOC patients. Conducting higher quality prospective cohort studies with large sample sizes is recommended to confirm the authenticity of the current study’s results.

Systematic Review Registration

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Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Associated With Endometriosis: A Clinicopathologic Study of 15 Cases

Only a few cases of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) associated with endometriosis have been published; with chronic inflammation of the peritoneum associated with the latter being postulated as an inducing factor in the pathogenesis of this tumor. We assessed the clinicopathologic characteristics of MPeM associated with endometriosis to determine if there were other factors besides inflammation that may contribute to the pathogenesis in this patient population. Fifteen MPeM associated with endometriosis were retrieved from our files. Most presented with abdominal/pelvic pain, mass or distention; median age was 45 yr. Only 16% of patients had a history of asbestos exposure. In contrast, a third of the patients had a personal history of other neoplasms, and >80% had a family history of malignancies. Although most tumors had gross and microscopic features typical of MPeM, some had confounding features including "adhesion-like" appearance or gelatinous cysts/nodules, and signet ring cells. Tumors were epithelioid (9) and biphasic (6). MPeM was misdiagnosed as Müllerian carcinoma in 40% of cases. All patients (n=15) had cytoreductive surgery in addition to other therapies. Only 2/12 patients died of disease (17%). The 3- and 5-yr overall survival was 90%. MPeM associated with endometriosis tends to occur in patients with personal/familial history of malignancies, which may be a predisposing factor. In light of this finding, the role of endometriosis in the pathogenesis of MPeM is likely less relevant. The favorable outcome seen in these patients may be related to germline mutations or the hormonal milieu and needs further investigation.

[S2k guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis-Recommendations for pathology]

Die vorliegende Übersicht fasst die relevanten Aspekte der S2k-Leitlinie Endometriose zusammen. Die Empfehlungen umfassen die Aufarbeitung und Befunderhebung bei Biopsien und Resektaten, die bei der klinischen Diagnose einer Endometriose entnommen wurden. Die Leitlinie berücksichtigt neben praktischen Aspekten der Pathologie ebenso die klinischen Notwendigkeiten an die Histopathologie für eine optimale Diagnostik und Therapie der Patientinnen.

Basierend auf der in der pathologischen Literatur gebräuchlichsten Definition der Endometriose des Corpus uteri (Adenomyosis uteri) wurde diese in der Leitlinie definiert als der Nachweis des Endometrioseherdes im Myometrium in einem Abstand zur endomyometranen Grenze von einem mittelgroßen Gesichtsfeld (100fache Vergrößerung), was metrisch rund 2,5 mm entspricht. Bei Darmresektaten soll zum Status der Resektionsränder Stellung genommen werden.

Ebenso definiert werden Anforderungen im Kontext endometrioseassoziierter Karzinome (z. B. Hormonrezeptorbestimmungen, immunhistochemische Untersuchung auf Ausfall der DNA-Mismatch-Reparaturproteine).

Endometriosis and malignancy: The intriguing relationship

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence and study the association of ovarian, uterine, and breast cancers with endometriosis.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of all women with a tissue-proven diagnosis of endometriosis postoperatively in a tertiary care hospital between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, was conducted to determine the prevalence of coexistent malignancy. Patient details were obtained from electronic clinical records. Univariate analysis followed by multivariate analysis was done to find independent risk factors associated with malignancy.

RESULTS

Out of 800 patients, 104 (13.0%) were found to have coexistent malignancy: ovarian (50, 6.2%); endometrial (33, 4.1%); synchronous ovarian and endometrial (7, 0.9%); and breast (14, 1.8%). Increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.16), higher levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) (OR 1.002; 95% CI 1.001-1.005), postmenopausal status (OR 6.2; 95% CI 2.0-19.2), duration of endometriosis over 5 years (OR 4.7; 95% CI 2.5-9.0), and endometriomas larger than 8 cm (area under the curve 0.83) were predictive of coexistent malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Endometriosis is associated with an increased risk of ovarian, endometrial, and breast malignancy. Increasing age, postmenopausal status, higher levels of CA 125, larger endometrioma, and long-standing disease are predictive risk factors.

Utility of adjuvant whole abdominal radiation therapy in ovarian clear cell cancer (OCCC): a pragmatic cohort study of women with classic immuno-phenotypic signature

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the initial experience and clinical utility of first-line adjuvant intensity-modulated whole abdominal radiation therapy (WART) in women with ovarian clear cell cancer (OCCC) referred to an academic center.

METHODS

Progression-free and overall survival was analyzed in a pragmatic observational cohort study of histologically pure OCCC patients over-expressing HNF-1ß treated between 2013 and end-December 2018. An in-house intensity-modulated WART program was developed from a published pre-clinical model. Radiation dose-volume data was curated to American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 263 recommendations. A dedicated database prospectively recorded presenting characteristics and outcomes in a standardized fashion.

RESULTS

Five women with FIGO (2018) stage IA to IIIA2 OCCC were treated with first-line WART. Median age was 58 years (range 47-68 years). At diagnosis CA-125 was elevated in 4 cases (median 56 kU/L: range 18.4-370 kU/L) before primary de-bulking surgery. Severe premorbid endometriosis was documented in 3 patients. At a median follow-up of 77 months (range 16-83 mo.), all patients remain alive and progression-free on clinical, biochemical (CA-125), and ¹⁸Fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT re-evaluation. Late radiation toxicity was significant (G3) in 1 case who required a limited bowel resection and chronic nutritional support at 9 months post-WART; 2 further patients had asymptomatic (G2) osteoporotic fragility fractures of axial skeleton at 12 months post-radiation treated with anti-resorptive agents (denosumab).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical utility of intensity-modulated WART in OCCC over-expressing HNF-1β was suggested in this small observational cohort study. The hypothesis that HNF-1β is a portent of platinum-resistance and an important predictive biomarker in OCCC needs further confirmation. Curating multi-institutional cohort studies utilizing WART by means of "Big Data" may improve OCCC care standards in the future.

Incisional carcinoma of Mullerian Origin: A case report and review of literature

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Incisional carcinoma is a rare, often delayed, complication of surgery.

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Primary incisional carcinoma can occur in the presence or absence of endometriosis.

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Translocation of benign cells surgery may be a common mode of development.

Primary incisional carcinoma (PIC) is a rare, delayed complication of surgery, usually attributed to the malignant transformation of endometriosis.

We report a case of incisional carcinoma with nodal metastases in a 55-year-old woman, 18 years after cesarean section. She underwent extirpative surgery, including hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, without intraperitoneal disease identifed. Adjuvant treatment included sandwiched platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) and radiation. She remains disease-free 8 months after completing therapy.

We identified 46 additional reported cases. Of these, >90% had undergone an “endometrium-exposing” surgery, most commonly cesarean section; while no cases followed adnexal-only surgery. The median time between antecedent surgery and presentation was 18 years. At presentation, tumors were often large (median 8 cm), and symptomatic with pain (63%) and/or mass (26%). Serum CA125 levels were commonly, albeit slightly, elevated (median 57U/ml (IQR 22–96, Range 6–1690)). Lymph node metastases were common (35%), with most following a vulvar-type spread pattern (inguinal first). Most patients (63%) were treated with chemotherapy +/− radiation. Approximately 50% of patients recurred promptly (median < 6 months), but long-term survival was reported following combined chemotherapy/radiation. Lymph node metastases portended a shorter disease-free interval, with 73% of cases recurring (median 5 months) despite chemotherapy-based treatment.

These data suggest that some incisional carcinomas may result from displacement of healthy endometrium followed by delayed malignant transformation. Chemotherapy-only and radiation-only treatments are attended by modest prognosis. Taken together, these data suggest there is both need and potential avenues for improved prevention, detection, and treatment of this condition.