Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2015; 75 - A42
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1551616

Frequency of adenoma-to-carcinoma-sequence in borderline ovarian tumors (BOT): A systematic analysis of BOT with different histologic subtypes

LC Horn 1, K Angermann 1, B Hentschel 2, J Einenkel 3, AK Höhn 1
  • 1Institute of Pathology, Division of Breast, Urogenital and Perinatal Pathology, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
  • 3University of Leipzig, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Institute of Trier), Leipzig, Germany

Background:

Low-grade ovarian carcinomas (Type I tumors), are postulated to develop via a stepwise progression from a benign cystadenoma via borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) into invasive lesion (adenoma to carcinoma sequence).

Methods:

To evaluate the frequency of adenoma to carcinoma sequence we re-valuated in 74 consecutive cases of BOT with different histologic subtypes.

Results:

The majority of cases represented serous-BOT (59.5%), followed by mucinous BOT (25.7%), other histologic types were rare.

86.5% showed an adenoma-carcinoma sequence, which was seen in all mucinous BOT but was missed in 15.9% of serous BOT.

Conclusions:

The vast majority of BOT represent a transition from benign cystadenoma to BOT in cases with mucinous and serous histology. In cases with missing adenoma-to-carcinoma-transition, the adenoma may be overgrown by the BOT. Alternatively a de-novo development might be exist, representing a second pathway within the pathogenesis of s-BLT.