Malignant mixed mullerian tumor of the ovary and bilateral breast cancer: an argument for BRCA3, or a coincidental cluster of unconnected cancers?
OBJECTIVE
Malignant mixed mullerian tumors (MMMTs) of the ovary are a rare, aggressive subtype of ovarian cancer without a clear relationship to familial breast-ovarian cancer syndromes.


METHODS
We present the case of a woman with bilateral breast cancers who subsequently developed a stage IIIc MMMT of the ovary. The patient had a first-degree female relative with breast and ovarian cancer (not MMMT), as well as second- and third-degree female relatives each with bilateral breast cancers. BRCA1 and BRCA2 sequencing of germline DNA revealed no evidence of a heritable mutation.


CONCLUSIONS
Ovarian MMMTs may be a hallmark of breast/ovarian cancer secondary to genetic risk independent of classic BRCA1/2 pathways.
Burns
B A
BA
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Geisler
J P
JP
Hatterman-Zogg
M A
MA
De Young
B
B
Buller
R E
RE
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018198:Mixed Tumor, Malignant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010375:Pedigree