Ovarian Pathology B&B Flashcards
failure of what process causes a follicular ovarian cyst to develop?
failure of ovarian follicle to rupture and release its egg (of if follicle ruptures and reseals)
follicle is filled with estrogen and may stimulate endometrial growth —> pain + irregular bleeding
how do follicular ovarian cysts typically present?
young women with pain + irregular bleeding
caused by failure of ovarian follicle to rupture and release its egg - follicle is filled with estrogen and may stimulate endometrial growth
what type of ovarian cysts develop in PCOS?
multiple follicular cysts due to failure of follicle to rupture and release its egg
failure of what process causes a corpus luteal cyst?
failure of cyst to involute (degenerate) when there is no pregnancy
may continue to produce progesterone and delay menstruation
how do corpus luteal cysts typically present?
failure of cyst to involute (degenerate) when there is no pregnancy
may continue to produce progesterone and delay menstruation —> pain + missed period + adnexal mass
what is the cause of theca-lutein cysts?
high beta-hCG levels (can be caused by pregnancy with twins or molar pregnancy)
benign, usually bilateral + multiple cysts, regress after pregnancy
contain luteinized (hyperplastic) theca cells
What are the three types of tumors that can develop from the ovaries?
- germ cell tumors - derived from oocytes
- Sex cord stromal tumors - derived from theca/granulosa or fibroblasts
- Adenomas/carcinomas - derived from surface epithelium, most common ovarian tumor
from what embryonic tissue is the ovarian surface epithelium derived?
simple cuboidal derived from coelomic epithelium - epithelial lining of intraembryonic celom, a space which gives rise to the thoracic and abdominal cavities
what are the common clinical features among the various types of ovarian epithelial cell tumors?
“silent” disease that is detected late as an adnexal mass with vague abdominal symptoms (bloating, early satiety, pelvic/abdominal pain)
average age of patient is 63yo
acute symptoms may present in advanced disease due to mass affecting surrounding structures
contrast the histology of serous cystadenoma vs serous cystadenocarcinoma (epithelial tumors of the ovary)
most common type of benign and malignant ovarian tumor, respectively
cystadenoma: bilateral cysts filled with watery fluid, thin wall of single cells lining cyst
cystadenocarcinoma: complex cysts (not spherical) filled with watery fluid, growth of epithelia into folds, cells are similar to fallopian tube cells, psammoma bodies (small areas of calcification), often bilateral
Describe the key histological features of the most common type of malignant ovarian cancer
serous epithelial cystadenocarcinoma: complex cysts (not spherical) filled with watery fluid, growth of epithelia into folds
cells are similar to fallopian tube cells + presence of psammoma bodies (small areas of calcification)
commonly presents with ascites
describe the histology of ovarian mucinous cystadenomas and mucinous cystadenocarcinomas (epithelial tumors of the ovary)
both have similar histology - thin-walled cyst filled with mucous
often multiloculated - contain many small cavities filled with mucous
K-Ras mutations nearly always present
with what type of ovarian cancer is pseudomyxoma peritonei associated?
aka mucous in the abdomen, causing “mucinous ascites”
therefore, it makes sense this condition is associated with ovarian mucinous epithelial cystadenocarcinomas
How do endometrioid tumors of the ovary present?
ovarian epithelial tumors containing tubular glands that appear histologically similar to the endometrium - often occur in patients with endometriosis
Good prognosis, sensitive to chemotherapy and often identified early
what are Brenner Tumors made of?
rare type of epithelial ovarian tumor containing bladder (transitional) epithelial cells
Usually benign and found incidentally
Biopsy shows “coffee bean nuclei”
rare type of epithelial ovarian tumor containing bladder (transitional) epithelial cells
Biopsy shows “coffee bean nuclei”
Brenner Tumor - Usually benign and found incidentally
[B for Bladder]
explain why pregnancy, breast-feeding, and oral contraceptive pills lower the risk of epithelial cell ovarian tumors
all of these conditions prevent ovulation, and more ovulation is associated with more risk (damages the epithelium)
In what population are BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations common?
Ashkenazi Jews (1:40 vs 1:400 general population)
recall BRCA1/2 mutations are associated with both breast and ovarian cancer