title: Atypical presentation of microscopically advanced ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) continues to be an academically challenging and clinically problematic disease. Even with recent advances, the overall 5-year survival is still 31% to 42% in various studies. Deaths from EOC outnumber those due to cervical, vulvar, and endometrial carcinomas combined. Screening for EOC has shown limited success in early detection. The Pap smear is not a dependable tool in EOC screening, though at times it can be the first evidence of ovarian disease. We report a case of EOC that was diagnosed during evaluation of an abnormal Pap smear. On completion of evaluation, stage IIIA endometrioid-type adenocarcinoma of the ovary was diagnosed. Occult EOC should be considered in patients with abnormal findings on cervical cytology after cervical and uterine carcinomas are ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Winship Cancer Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mendez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Majmudar
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Horowitz
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014626:Vaginal Smears