Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor, Not OtherwiseSpecified (NOS): An Unusual Case With Myelolipoma

Ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified: three case reports and literature review

Objective

To provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified (SCTs-NOS).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of three patients with SCTs-NOS admitted to the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from 2012 to 2022 and reviewed literature reports related to this disease.

Results

A total of 3 cases in our center and 70 cases searched in literature reports were included. The age at diagnosis ranged from 3 to 93 years (median, 34 years). The common clinical manifestations were hirsutism, acne, deepened voice, clitoromegaly, amenorrhea, and excessive weight gain. Tumor sizes ranged from 1.2 to 45 cm, with an average diameter of 6.5cm. Most of SCTs-NOS were benign, but some of them exhibited malignant behavior. Surgery was the main treatment and close follow-up was required. The follow up time of 73 cases ranged from 3 to 132 months (median, 21.3 months). Disease recurrence or progression occurred in 14 cases (19.2%). Three of the 73 patients had a successful pregnancy.

Conclusion

SCTs-NOS usually occur in women of reproductive age, which are mainly manifested as androgen excess symptoms. Surgery is an appropriate treatment for SCTs-NOS and should be individualized. Final diagnosis depends on pathology. SCTs-NOS have malignant potential, and the treatments for patients with malignant tumors and disease recurrence or progression were cytoreductive surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) therapy.

Ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified: analysis of nine cases with a literature review

BACKGROUND

Ovarian steroid cell tumors (SCTs), not otherwise specified (NOS), are rare, with few large studies. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical features, prognosis, and treatment choices for these patients of different age groups.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study. We identified nine cases of ovarian steroid cell tumor, not otherwise specified, confirmed by post-operative histopathological examination, and analyzed clinical features, surgical procedures, and follow up outcomes. We also reviewed cases reports of ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified.

RESULTS

A total of nine cases were included. The age range was 9-68 years (mean, 41.89 ± 19.72 years). Clinical features included virilization, amenorrhea, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, isosexual precocious puberty, Cushing's syndrome, and abnormal weight gain with elevated testosterone levels. The follow up interval ranged 5-53 months and no recurrence was observed.

CONCLUSION

Ovarian steroid cell tumors covered all age groups, with manifestations of androgen excess. Younger patients appeared to have a more favorable prognosis, which provided more opportunities for these patients to pursue treatment options that will preserve reproductive function.

A Rare Case of Steroid Cell Tumor, Not Otherwise Specified (NOS), of the Ovary in a Young Woman

Steroid cell tumour is a rare sex cord-stromal tumor of the ovary. It may produce steroids and is associated with testosterone secretion which causes symptoms like hair loss, hirsutism, and oligomenorrhea/amenorrhea due to hormonal activity and virilizing properties of tumor. In this article, we reported a 27-year-old woman who presented with hirsutism, hoarseness of voice, scalp hair fall, and amenorrhea for 8 years. Clinical and diagnostic evaluation revealed a left adnexal mass and elevated serum levels of testosterone and she was diagnosed as having a Sertoli Leydig cell tumour of ovary. She underwent left salpingooophorectomy and both histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. Her serum testosterone levels normalized 3 days after the surgery and her menses resumed spontaneously a few months after the operation. In addition, we reviewed the literature on the epidemiology, clinical presentations, imaging and histological findings, and the treatment options on this disease.

Adrenal Myelolipomas Involved by Plasma Cell Myeloma

OBJECTIVES

To report the presence and evaluate the frequency of plasma cell neoplasms within adrenal myelolipomas.

METHODS

Adrenal myelolipomas within our institution were reviewed for the presence of hematologic neoplasia, and a review of the literature was performed.

RESULTS

Two (9%) of 23 adrenal myelolipomas were involved by plasma cell myeloma. The patients were 71 and 81 years old, one woman and one man, with tumors measuring 7 cm and 8.5 cm, respectively. Both tumors contained large aggregates of dysplastic plasma cells occupying at least one ×10 field and demonstrated light chain restriction. Neither had an established diagnosis of plasma cell neoplasm previously. After receiving therapy, one patient exhibited a stable clinical course 1 year after diagnosis while the other died of disease 3 years later.

CONCLUSIONS

We report the first two cases of adrenal myelolipoma involved by plasma cell myeloma, a rare and subtle finding that has significant clinical implications.

Symptomatic Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor not Otherwise Specified in a Post-Menopausal Woman

Steroid cell tumor not otherwise specified (NOS) is a rare subtype of sex cord stromal tumor of the ovary and contributes less than 0.1% of all ovarian neoplasms. The majority of tumors occur in pre-menopausal women (mean age: 43 years), in which 56-77% of patients present with virilization due to excess testosterone. An 80-year-old woman with worsening alopecia and excessive growth of coarse hair on abdomen and genital area was found to have elevated serum testosterone level (462 ng/mL). Radiologic studies were consistent with bilateral adrenal adenomas. Bilateral adrenal venous sampling ruled out the adrenal gland as origin of hormone secretion. A diagnostic and therapeutic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy confirmed steroid cell tumor NOS of the left ovary. Post-operatively, the patient had complete resolution of her symptoms and normalization of testosterone level. Our case emphasizes the importance of a clinical suspicion for an occult testosterone secreting ovarian tumor in a symptomatic patient without obvious ovarian mass on imaging.

Giant Myelolipoma in the Spleen: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Myelolipomas are benign tumors, consisting of hematopoietic cells and mature adipose tissue, which mainly occur within the adrenal gland. Extra-adrenal myelolipomas are rare, and fewer than 60 cases have been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of intrasplenic myelolipoma in a 42-year-old man with more than 1 month of abdominal pain. Computed tomography scanning revealed a giant, heterogeneous, well-demarcated mass in the spleen. Splenectomy was performed, and an intrasplenic giant mass was completely excised. The diagnosis of myelolipoma was made based on morphological examination. To the best of our knowledge, this is the third reported case of myelolipoma in the human spleen.

Ovarian steroid cell tumor, not otherwise specified: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical experience of 12 cases

AIM

Ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified (SCT-NOS) are very rare neoplasms. No large study has been performed in Pakistan to establish the clinicopathological spectrum and immunohistochemical behavior in our region. The purpose of our study was to determine the various clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of ovarian SCT-NOS along with follow-up in our institution.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study. The study was conducted in the Section of Histopathology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. All reported cases of ovarian SCT-NOS occurring during January 1992 to August 2013 were retrieved. The slides were reviewed and patient demographics, and clinical and pathological features were noted with proforma software. SPSS version 19 was used for all analyses. Data is expressed as absolute values and percentages.

RESULTS

A total of 12 SCT-NOS (2.3%) out of 528 ovarian sex cord stromal tumors were retrieved. The age range was 3-70 years, with mean of 40.75 years. The tumors ranged 2.5-13 cm in size, with a mean size of 6.1 cm. One patient had bilateral tumors. All of the tumors were positive for inhibin and calretinin. Four tumors were negative for Mic-2 (CD99). In two patients, the tumor recurred. Only one patient who had worse pathological features received adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Steroid cell tumors are very rare ovarian tumors in the Pakistani population, mostly presenting in adulthood. Diverse histological differentials exist so special stains and immunohistochemical stains are needed to distinguish these from other tumors.

Ovarian steroid cell tumor, not otherwise specified: A rare case of postmenopausal vaginal bleeding

Ovarian steroid cell tumors (SCTs), not otherwise specified (NOS) are particularly rare ovarian tumors, which are composed of steroid-hormone secreting cells. The majority of patients with this tumor produce excessive quantities of testosterone and virilization is common. The current report presents a rare case of SCT in a 59-year-old female who presented with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. The patient had experienced irregular vaginal bleeding for two months, 12 years after menopause. Transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging identified a solid adnexal mass and the pathological result of diagnostic curettage showed a proliferative endometrium. The patient’s serum estrogen and testosterone levels were elevated (393.71 nmol/l and 22.28 nmol/l, respectively). The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, hysterectomy and bisalpingectomy. The neoplasm was well-circumscribed, solid, homogeneous and yellow in color. Microscopically, the tumor was predominantly composed of granular eosinophilic or vacuolated cytoplasm. Reinke’s crystals, prominent nucleoli and Call-Exner bodies were not observed, and there was no mitotic figure. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the tumor cells were strongly positive for inhibin. The present rare case aims to expand the current knowledge of this type of ovarian tumor.

A rare occurrence of a malignant ovarian steroid cell tumor not otherwise specified: A case report and literature review

Steroid cell tumors not otherwise specified (NOS) are a rare subgroup of sex cord-stromal tumors. The tumors can occur at any age, although the mean age of occurrence is 43 years old. The majority are benign, but have the capability of producing one or more steroids associated with virilization. The present study reports the case of a 29-year-old female who presented to the Second Xiangya Hospital suffering from lower back and leg pain that had persisted for five months. The patient had regular menstrual cycles and no virilization symptoms were present. Laboratory investigations revealed normal hormone levels. Multiple areas of bone destruction and a right ovarian mass were confirmed via positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, and a mass measuring ~6 cm in diameter was subsequently identified in the right ovary. A right salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic washings for cytology were performed. Histopathological studies confirmed the diagnosis of a malignant steroid cell tumor NOS of the right ovary. The patient underwent eight cycles of chemotherapy (docetaxel, 120 mg and nedaplatin, 80 mg). The patient continued to have relatively good health, with no deterioration of the condition for one year and a half, however, the disease progressed and the patient succumbed to brain metastases six months later.

Symptomatic Cushing syndrome and hyperandrogenemia revealing steroid cell ovarian neoplasm with late intra-abdominal metastasis

BACKGROUND

Steroid cell tumors of ovary account for less than 0.1% of all ovarian tumors and these tumours may present at any age in association with interesting presentations related to hormonal activities. The subtype, not otherwise specified (NOS), is associated with androgenic changes in 56-77% and Cushing syndrome in 6-10%. Due to the rarity of available data regarding these tumors, little is known about their malignant potential and metastatic behaviour. We hereby report an unusual metastasis of steroid cell ovarian neoplasm presented with both Cushing syndrome and hyperandrogenemia.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 31-year-old woman, who had a past medical history of ovarian tumor resection (left ovarian thecoma was initially diagnosed at that time), presented with hirsutism, hypertension and menstrual disorder. Also, laboratory work-up revealed hypercortisolism and androgen excess. Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed abdominal paraaortic masses, multiple intrahepatic nodules and retroperitoneal lymph nodes enlargement. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan demonstrated metastatic lesions. Her ovarian tumor sections were re-examined and pathology result was corrected to steroid cell tumor (NOS) associated with active cell growth and necrosis. Subsequent excision of metastatic lesions yielded clinical improvement promptly and metastasis of steroid cell tumor was confirmed by postoperative pathological studies. However, one year after the surgical management of metastasis, recurrence happened while radiotherapy was ineffective. The patient finally died of tumor metastatic recurrence.

CONCLUSION

This case reports a rare coexistence of Cushing syndrome and hyperandrogenemia which occurs based on metastasis of steroid cell ovarian neoplasm. It presents a real diagnostic challenge to both clinicians and pathologists. Therefore, it is very important to establish a final diagnosis by pathological studies along with clinical manifestations and imaging findings. Besides, it is necessary to improve follow-up of patients with this kind of tumors.

Benign and malignant ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified: case studies, comparison, and review of the literature

Ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified (NOS) are rare sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary with malignant potential. So far only a few cases were reported in English literature through the Pubmed search. Here we report two cases of such tumor, one was benign (first case underwent laparoscopic cystectomy) and the other was malignant (died 10 months later after initial diagnosis), both presented with amenorrhea and clinical signs or symptoms of virilization. In malignant case, we provided evidence (tumor embolus) in addition to the reported five characteristics associated with malignancy. On further evaluation, laboratory investigations revealed hyperandrogenism in the male range, while follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) levels were within normal limits. Various aspects of the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of these tumors are discussed.

Ectopic functioning adrenocortical oncocytic adenoma (oncocytoma) with myelolipoma causing virilization

Functioning adrenal adenomas are well-described entities that can rarely occur outside the adrenal gland in the ectopic adrenal tissue. Similarly, myelolipoma is an another benign lesion of the adrenal tissue which can rarely occur outside the adrenal gland. We report the first case of a testosterone producing an extra-adrenal adrenocortical oncocytoma accompanied by a myelolipoma. The patient presented with virilization and elevated androgen levels. Imaging revealed a retroperitoneal mass, which histologically consisted of oncocytes and intermingled myelolipoma. Postoperative androgen levels decreased to normal. The tumor cells were strongly positive for inhibin and Melan-A, supporting the adrenal origin. This case demonstrates a diagnostic challenge in which correlation with histology, immunohistochemistry, and serum endocrine studies led to the final diagnosis.