Pathology of the Ovary Flashcards
What are paratubal cysts?
They are cysts on ovaries derived from mullarian duct remnants and are very common with no clinical consequence.
What is an adenomatoid tumour?
Benign neoplasm derived from the mesothelium.
What kind of mutation or cancer affects the Fallopian tubes to cause premalignant STIC cancers?
Particularly prevalent in people with BRCA mutations and in women with high grade serous carcinoma of the ovary.
Frequently show p53 mutations
How are premalignant STIC or in situ serous carcinomas treated>
Spread rapidly through the peritoneum so removal of tubes prior to malignant spread is indicated to prevent ovarian cancer
What are BRCA mutations?
Breast cancer associated mutations
What does BRCA do?
Genes that make tumour suppressor proteins.
If there is a BRCA mutation then DNA is not repaired leading to mutations. People with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 are at risk of
What mutations result in breast and ovarian cancer?
Breast: Background lifetime risk = BRCA1/2
Ovarian: Background risk is 2% BRCA1 is 45% and BRCA2 is 80%
What kind of tumours are ovarian tumours classified as?
For exam: They are surface epithelial tumours.
However new research is showing that they arise from fimbrial end of fallopian tubes (so not from the ovary itself)
Where do ruptured cystic follicles come from?
They come from unruptured graafian or in follicles that ruptured but then stuck shut.
What is polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Lots of follicles are formed but no ovulation
High androgen production and insulin resistance.
Pathophysiology is poorly understood.
What are the associated disorders with polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Diabetes Mellitus 2
Obesity
Metabolic disorders
What are the macroscopic clinical symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Macro: Globoid enlarged ovaries with multiple cysts ‘string of pearls USS’
What are the microscopic clinical symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Thick ovarian capsule
Uniform cystic follicles
Partially regressing follicles
No corpus luteum or albicantia due to no cycling.
What percentage of cancers in women are ovarian cancer?
5% of cancers in women
What percentage of ovarian neoplasms are benign?
80%
What age group gets more benign ovarian neoplasms and what age group gets more malignant neoplasms?
Benign: 20 - 40 years
Malignant: 40 - 70 years
Malignant ones tend to present late and are more likely to be bilateral.
What are the following neoplasms called?
Benign and cystic
Benign, cystic and fibrous
Benign and mostly fibrous
Malignant
Cystadenoma
Cystadenofibroma
Adenofibroma
Adenocarcinoma or cystadenocarcinoma (late presenting, malignant and tend to be bilateral)
Why is ovarian cancer so deadly?
It is common (5th most common cancer in women)
Make up quarter of female genital tract cancer but cause half of deaths.
Vague clinical signs (bloating, fatigue, or no signs)
When advanced: Compressive sx ascites, mets.)
HIgh stage at presentation (late)
No screening tests available
What are the types of surface epithelial tumours of the ovary?
Serous: Benign / borderline / malignant forms. Malignant form is split into 2 categories (low and high grade serous carcinomas)
Mucinous: Benign / borderline / malignant forms
Endometrioid: Benign / borderline / malignant forms
Clear cell: Benign / borderline / malignant forms
Brenner: Benign / borderline / malignant forms
What are the types of mixed epithelial/stromal tumours of the ovaries?
Adenosarcomas
MMMT
What tumours can arise from the sex cord/stroma of the ovaries?
Granulosa/thecal tumours
Fibromas
What tumours arise from germ cells?
Teratomas
Dysgerminomas
Yolk sac tumours
Choriocarcinoma
Where do tumours of the ovary metastasize?
Colon
Appendix
Stomach
Breast
Pancreas
What mutation causes type 1 surface epithelial carcinomas?
KRAS/BRAF/ERBB2 mutations
Then loss of tp36 or CDKN2A/B
What are the classifications of surface epithelial tumours of the ovaries?
Type 1 - low grade that arise in setting of borderline tumours and/or endometriosis (eg low grade serous, endometrioid, mucinous)
Type 2 - STIC and high grade serous carcinoma
What mutations cause type 2 surface epithelial carcinomas?
p53 mutations
How are type 1 and type 2 lesions different?
Type 1: low grade with precursor lesion in a stepwise fashion, represented by cystadenomas and borderline tumours, most often presents early (low stage), often remains low grade by can progress to high grade. Mutation = K-ras/BRAF (65%) and TP53 (8%)
Type 2: High grade, arises de novo, and most often presents at high stage, is rapidly growing, aggressive, and caused by p53 mutation (in about 70% of cases), k-ras/BRAF are rare in these cancers.
Which cancers are type 1 and which are type 2?
Type 1 includes: Serous carcinoma, mucinous endometrioid, and clear cell carcinomas as well as transitional cell carcinoma. (Brenner and non-Brenner)
Type 2 includes: Serous carcinoma, and malignant mixed mullerian tumours.