Endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the ovary and endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
We present a retrospective analysis of 22 cases of endometrioid ovarian carcinoma, reviewed to identify endometriosis and its malignant transformation.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients with endometrioid ovarian cancer were included in the review. Their clinical and histological data were retrospectively reviewed. The origin of the tumours was considered endometriosis-related when the presence of malignant changes in endometriosis glands leading to endometrioid carcinoma were found.


RESULTS
Endometriosis was detected in three cases (3/22=14%). One of them presented a clearly benign to malignant transformation area. In another patient, the transition zone was abrupt and present in both ovaries. In the third, a pre-menopausal woman, ovarian endometriosis with only focal endometrioid carcinoma was observed. The three of them had a clear-cell carcinoma component. The presence of a clear-cell component was significantly greater in patients with endometriosis than in patients without endometriosis Each patient had a different clinical presentation: increase in abdominal perimeter, post-menopausal vaginal haemorrhage and hypermenorrhea. Preoperative CA 125 levels were avalaible in 15 of the patients (15/22=68%). Endometriosis was found in two of these 15 patients, both with the highest CA 125 measured levels, exceeding 1700 U/ml. In the remaining of the patients, CA 125 value did not exceed 35 U/ml.


CONCLUSIONS
Although this association is not very frequent, patients with ovarian endometriosis and a high CA 125 serum level should be managed with special care, regardless of their pre-menopausal or post-menopausal status.
Valenzuela
P
P
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Principe de Asturias Hospital, Alcalá de Henares University, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. itallon@alerce.pntic.mec.es
Ramos
P
P
Redondo
S
S
Cabrera
Y
Y
Alvarez
I
I
Ruiz
A
A
D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018394:CA-125 Antigen