Ovarian malignancy in breast cancer patients with an adnexal mass

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to estimate ovarian malignancy rate in breast cancer patients with an adnexal mass and to identify variables predictive of malignancy. METHODS: This was a review from 1990-2002 including women with breast cancer diagnosed with an adnexal mass who subsequently underwent oophorectomy. Ovarian pathology was classified as benign, primary malignancy, or metastatic breast cancer. Women with preoperative evidence of malignancy were excluded. RESULTS: Of 129 cases reviewed, benign ovarian cysts were found in 113 cases (88%) and malignant ovarian neoplasms were found in 16 cases (12%). Univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of malignancy. Complex masses were 29 times more likely to be malignant (P < .001). Women with estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer had an increased risk for malignant adnexal masses (44%; OR 12.4, 95% confidence interval 2.4-65.1; P = .003). Patients with an elevated CA 125 had a 6.3-fold increased risk of malignancy, P = .02. Adnexal mass size greater than 5 cm also increased the risk of malignancy (18.8%; OR 4.6, 95% confidence interval 1.2-17.3; P = .02). Malignant adnexal masses had a greater likelihood of being primary ovarian cancer than metastatic breast cancer by 7:1. CONCLUSION: An isolated adnexal mass in the breast cancer patient is most commonly a benign ovarian cyst. Adnexal masses associated with an increased CA 125, complex architecture by ultrasonography, or size greater than 5 cm are significant predictors of malignancy and are indications for referral to a gynecologic oncologist.     

Serum angiogenin concentration in women with adnexal tumors

Angiogenesis is essential for most solid tumor growth and dissemination. Angiogenin (ANG), a potent new blood vessel formation stimulator may be a potential biomarker of ovarian malignancies. We have analyzed serum concentration of this polypeptide and CA-125 in 78 women with operated because of adnexal tumors. Sixty-five tumors were benign and 13 were malignant. Mean serum concentration of ANG in women with benign tumors and with ovarian cancer 410.8 pg/ml (range: 98.3-956.3 pg/ml) and 469.1 pg/ml (range: 65.3-1103.0 pg/ml), respectively. There were no significant differences in ANG concentrations between the groups, also we have not found any correlation with serum CA-125 levels assayed preoperatively. We conclude that serum angiogenin levels are not a useful predictor of ovarian malignant tumors.     

Serum CA-125 is a good predictor of benign disease in patients with postmenopausal ovarian cysts

AIM: To determine whether serum CA-125 levels, in addition to tumor size and ultrasonographic findings can help in differentiating benign ovarian cysts from malignant disease. METHODS: All postmenopausal women who had undergone explorative laporatomy for a preoperative diagnosis of an adnexal cyst between January 1999 and February 2006 were included if serum CA-125 levels were below 50 IU/ml. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients with ovarian cysts and serum CA-125 levels lower than 50 IU/ml were included. Seventy-five (80%) of the patients (53 unilocular, 22 multilocular) had ovarian cysts < 13 cm. Of 18 patients with ovarian cysts > 13 cm, seven had unilocular and 11 had multilocular cysts. All the patients (n = 77) with a serum CA-125 level < 35 IU/ml had benign histopathology regardless of the tumor size or ultrasonic features. Among 16 patients with CA-125 levels between 35 and 50 IU/ml, two with unilocular cysts > 13 cm and nine with multilocular cysts (3 < 13 cm, 6 > 13 cm) had borderline histopathology. CONCLUSION: We concluded that when unilocular ovarian cyst size is < 13 cm and serum CA-125 levels are below 35 IU/ml in a postmenopausal woman, the possibility of a benign etiology is most likely.     

Benefits and limitations of ultrasonographic evaluation of uterine adnexal lesions in early detection of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most frequent cause of death from gynaecological malignancies in the Western world. Most cases of epithelial ovarian cancer are detected at late stages and the resultant overall five-year survival is poor. However, when epithelial ovarian cancer is detected with the disease confined to the ovary the prognosis is favorable. Transvaginal gray-scale ultrasonography and colour Doppler assessment of blood flow have been evaluated as methods to predict risk of malignancy in ovarian tumours. In order to reduce the number of unnecessary surgical procedures for uterine adnexal tumours, ultrasonomorphologic scoring systems have been developed, assigning numerical ultrasonographic parameters of the tumours. However, the positive predictive value of these scoring systems is low and this is due to the fact that the appearance of many benign ovarian lesions overlaps with that of malignant disease. In addition, some ovarian malignancies are ultrasonographically detected as simple cysts without exhibiting a complex morphology. Moreover, the cut-off size of uterine adnexal tumours for surgical intervention in the early detection of cancer is not yet well determined. The application of colour blood-flow imaging is very helpful in the detection of uterine adnexal malignancy because of the presence of neovascularization in malignant tumours. When gray-scale ultrasonography detects the presence of septum or papillary projections or solid components in uterine adnexal lesions and Doppler flow is present within these lesions malignancy is likely. However, the detection of vascularity within the papillary projection of a malignant tumour may not be detected when it is very small. When colour-flow imaging is used in premenopausal patients attention is needed to avoid confusion of luteal flow with flow of cystic lesions. Initial reports using pulsed Doppler ultrasonography showed high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of ovarian cancer when levels of the resistive index (RI) less than 0.4 and levels of the pulsatility index (PI) less than 1 were used. Subsequent studies have shown considerable overlap of RI and PI rates between benign and malignant uterine adnexal masses, suggesting that pulsed Doppler ultrasonography is not an independent indicator for malignancy. Serum CA-125 levels have been used in conjunction with ultrasonography to identify as many of the false-positive results in order to avoid unnecessary surgery. In postmenopausal women with a uterine adnexal mass the combination of physical examination with serum CA-125 levels and pelvic ultrasound scan seems to improve the sensitivity and specificity of predicting adnexal malignancies. In contrast, in premenopausal women the consideration of CA-125 levels with Doppler ultrasonographic findings might confuse the differential diagnosis of ovarian masses. In conclusion, accurate selection of patients with uterine adnexal tumours for surgical intervention is not provided by pelvic ultrasonography. Pelvic ultrasonography as a screening method for the early detetection of ovarian cancer should be probably limited to those women who are at increased risk for development of ovarian cancer and not in the general population.     

Pretreatment serum levels of CA-125, carcinoembryonic antigen, tissue polypeptide antigen, and placental alkaline phosphatase, in patients with ovarian carcinoma, borderline tumors, or benign adnexal masses: relevance for differential diagnosis

Pretreatment serum levels of the antigens CA-125, tissue polypeptide Antigen (TPA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) were determined in samples from 295 women with adnexal masses. At laparotomy 48% of patients had epithelial ovarian carcinoma, 9% had tumors of low malignant potential, and 8% suffered from malignancies of other kinds. The sensitivity of CA-125 with 35 U/ml as the cutoff was 88% in women with ovarian carcinoma, but 74% among those with limited disease and 58% in borderline malignancy. Only 6 of 17 mucinous ovarian carcinomas were detected. Specificity was 83%. CEA was elevated above 5.0 micrograms/liter in 15 of 17 patients with mucinous ovarian cancer. TPA detected advanced stages of malignancy, but the sensitivity was low, 53%, in cases with limited disease. PLAP was elevated in 46% of ovarian carcinoma patients. For detecting malignancy overall, the use of a parallel combination of the CA-125 and CEA assays was more sensitive than use of CA-125 as a single marker. This test combination may be of value in the diagnosis of adnexal masses. The predictive value of a positive result was 90%, and that of a negative result, 76%.     

A comparison of methods for preoperative discrimination between malignant and benign adnexal masses: the development of a new logistic regression model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the complementary use of ultrasonographic end points with the level of circulating CA 125 antigen by multivariate logistic regression analysis algorithms to distinguish malignant from benign adnexal masses before operation. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred ninety-one patients aged 18 to 93 years with overt adnexal masses were examined by transvaginal ultrasonography with color Doppler imaging and 31 variables were recorded. The end points were the histologic classification of the tumor and the areas under the receiver-operator characteristic curves of alternative algorithms. RESULTS: One hundred forty patients had benign tumors and 51 (26.7%) had malignant tumors: 31 primary invasive tumors (37% International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I), 5 tumors of borderline malignancy (100% International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I), and 15 tumors were metastatic and invasive. The most useful variables for the logistic regression analysis were the menopausal status, the serum CA 125 level, the presence of >/=1 papillary growth (>3 mm in length), and a color score indicative of tumor vascularity and blood flow. The optimized procedure had a sensitivity of 95.9% and a specificity of 87.1%. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve was significantly higher (P <.01) than the corresponding values from the independent use of serum CA 125 levels or indexes of tumor form or vascularity. CONCLUSION: Regression analysis of a few complementary variables can be used to accurately discriminate between malignant and benign adnexal masses before operation.     

Serum soluble Fas levels in ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of serum soluble Fas levels as a prognostic marker for survival of women with ovarian cancer and as a discriminator between benign and malignant adnexal masses. METHODS: Serum soluble Fas levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 52 women with ovarian cancer, 30 women with benign ovarian cysts, and 35 healthy women. RESULTS: Median serum soluble Fas levels in women with ovarian cancer, women with benign ovarian cysts, and healthy women were 3.7 (range 1.6-14.5), 2.3 (range 1.3-4.1), and 1.5 ng/mL (range 0.1-5.6), respectively (P <. 001). A univariate logistic regression model showed a significant influence of serum soluble Fas and CA 125 levels on the odds of presenting with ovarian cancer versus benign cysts (P <.001 and P =. 001, respectively). In a multivariable logistic regression model for soluble Fas and CA 125, both markers showed a statistically significant influence on the odds of presenting with ovarian cancer versus benign cysts (P =.01 and P =.01, respectively). Increased pretreatment serum soluble Fas levels were associated with shortened disease-free and overall survival (P =.002 and P =.001, respectively). A multivariable Cox regression model identified serum soluble Fas levels as a significant prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival, independent of tumor stage (P =. 04 and P =.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: Soluble Fas levels might be useful as a discriminator between benign ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer, adding to the information obtained with the use of the established tumor marker CA 125. Pretreatment serum soluble Fas levels also might be an independent prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival.     

超声联合肿瘤标志物预测附件包块良恶性质的临床价值

目的研究术前超声联合肿瘤标志物预测附件包块良恶性质的临床价值。方法回顾性分析2009年1月至2010年10月间,于同济大学附属第一妇婴保健院收治的475例附件包块患者,术前超声评估附件包块性质(包括肿块大小,回声性质和血流信号)和肿瘤标志物(CA125、CA199、AFP、CEA和CA153)检查,与最终手术病理结果比较。结果手术石蜡病理提示卵巢恶性肿瘤100例,交界性肿瘤50例,良性肿瘤325例。术前超声提示囊性肿块183例,其中良性144例(78.7%)、恶性19例(10.4%);超声提示混合性肿块247例,其中良性160例(64.8%)、恶性58例(23.5%);超声提示实性肿块45例,其中良性21例(46.7%)、恶性23例(51.1%)。超声提示混合性或实性肿块与囊性肿块相比,卵巢恶性肿瘤病率显著增加(27.7%vs.10.4%)(P<0.001)。提出卵巢肿瘤预测模型1、2、3,模型1:CA125≥35kU/L+超声混合或实性;模型2:CA125≥100kU/L+超声混合或实性;模型3:CA125≥35kU/L+CA199≥37kU/L+超声混合或实性。结论超声提示附件混合性或实性包块同时合并CA125升高者,卵巢恶性肿瘤发生率显著增高。     

The risk of malignancy index in discrimination of adnexal masses.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of the risk of malignancy index (RMI) based on a serum CA125 level, ultrasound findings and menopausal status, to discriminate benign from malignant adnexal masses. METHOD: Between September 2002 and November 2004, 296 women with adnexal masses were enrolled. The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the CA125 serum level, ultrasound findings and menopausal status in prediction of ovarian cancer were calculated and compared individually or combined into the RMI. RESULTS: The RMI identified malignant cases more accurately than any individual criterion in diagnosing ovarian cancer. Using a cut-off level of 153 to indicate malignancy, the RMI showed a sensitivity of 76.4%, a specificity of 77.9%, a PPV of 65.9%, a NPV of 85.5% with 79.4% correct diagnosis rate. CONCLUSION: The RMI is an appropriate method in diagnosing adnexal masses with high risk of malignancy and forwarding to gynecological oncology centers for suitable surgical operations.     

Guidelines for referral of the patient with an adnexal mass

Gynecologists have to differentiate between benign and malignant adnexal masses. We review the evidence supporting to the specialty care of a gynecologic oncologist on the basis of the physical examination, imaging studies, family history, and CA 125 determination. We recommend adherence to the ACOG/SGO Joint Opinion guidelines. Specifically, referral to a gynecologic oncologist seems warranted for postmenopausal women with elevated CA 125, nodular or fixed pelvic mass, metastatic disease, ascites, or family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Premenopausal women should be referred if the CA 125 is elevated above 200 U/mL, there is an evidence of metastatic disease or ascites, or strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer.     

Comparison of risk of malignancy index (RMI), CA125, CA 19-9, ultrasound score,and menopausal status in borderline ovarian tumor

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic values of risk of malignancy index (RMI IV), ultrasound score, menopausal status, and serum CA125 and CA19-9 level in patients with borderline ovarian tumor (BOT). Methods: Fifty women having borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) and 5O individuals with benign adnexal mass were enrolled in this retrospective study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values and diagnostic accuracy of preoperative serum levels of the CA125 and CA19-9, ultrasound findings and menopausal status, and RMI IV were calculated for prediction of discrimination between BOTs and benign adnexal masses and the results were compared. Results: The RMI IV was the best method for discrimination between BOTs and benign adnexal masses and was more accurate than the other parameters. When Receiver Operator Characteristic area under the curves for menopausal status was analyzed, serum CA 125 and CA19-9 level, ultrasound score, RMI IV(CA125), and RMI IV(CA19-9) were, 0.580, 0.625, 0.548, 0.694, 0.734 and 0.711, respectively. The best RMI IV cut-off was found to be 200 for discrimination of benign and BOT lesions. In the RMI formulation, replacing CA125 with CA19-9 didn’t affect RMI IV sensitivity and specificity for discrimination. Conclusion: Compared to ultrasound, menopausal status, CA-125, CA19-9, the RMI IV was found to be the best predictive method for differentiation of BOTs from benign adnexal masses. RMI IV cut–off value of 200 is suitable for differentiation of benign and BOT’s.     

Role of laparoscopy in the evaluation of the adnexa in patients with stage IV breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To describe the utility of laparoscopic evaluation of adnexal masses in women with stage IV breast cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of gynecologic and breast surgery databases at our institution was performed to identify patients with stage IV breast cancer who underwent surgical evaluation for an adnexal mass or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) between January 1986 and August 2002. Patient demographics and operative and pathologic findings were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were identified. Median age was 47 years (range, 25-79 years). Pathology of the primary breast tumor was infiltrating ductal carcinoma in 58%, invasive lobular carcinoma in 29%, and unspecified in 13%. Median time from diagnosis of stage IV breast cancer to surgical evaluation of the adnexa was 15 months (range, 0-106 months). Surgery consisted of planned laparotomy in four patients and laparoscopic evaluation in 27 patients. Six patients had laparoscopic BSO for hormonal ablation. The remaining 21 patients had laparoscopic evaluation of an adnexal mass. Conversion to laparotomy occurred in three patients based on intraoperative findings of suspected primary ovarian cancer and for technical reasons in one patient. Overall, metastatic breast cancer was diagnosed in 21 (68%) of 31 patients, including two patients with occult metastases undergoing BSO for hormonal ablation. Primary ovarian cancer was found in 3 (10%) of 31 patients, and 7 (22%) of 31 patients had benign findings. Pathologic intraoperative frozen section was obtained in 21 (84%) of 25 patients undergoing laparoscopic evaluation for an adnexal mass. Intraoperative frozen section was concordant with final pathology in 20 (95%) of 21 patients (18 on laparoscopic evaluation, two on laparotomy). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with stage IV breast cancer who present with an adnexal mass will be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. A small subset of patients will be diagnosed with primary ovarian cancer; thus, the evaluation of an adnexal mass even in this stage IV setting is warranted. Accurate diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer versus ovarian cancer can be made laparoscopically, thereby avoiding laparotomy in the metastatic breast cancer setting.     

Laparoscopic findings during adnexal surgery in women with a history of nongynecologic malignancy

OBJECTIVES: To describe the results of laparoscopic management of adnexal masses in women with a history of nongynecologic malignancy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 262 patients with history of prior nongynecologic malignancy who underwent laparoscopy for management of an adnexal mass between 1/1992 and 6/2004. RESULTS: Median patient age at laparoscopy was 55 years (range, 20-91 years), and median BMI was 25 kg/m2 (range, 14-41 kg/m2). Of the 262 patients, 145 (55.3%) had prior abdominal/pelvic surgery. Prior cancer history included breast (202, 77.1%), lymphoma/leukemia (16, 6.1%), colorectal (8, 3.0%), lung (7, 2.7%), multiple myeloma (5, 1.9%), head/neck (5, 1.9%), genitourinary (5, 1.9%), upper gastrointestinal (4, 1.5%), and other (10, 3.8%). Median ovarian mass diameter measured on radiologic imaging was 3.8 cm (range, 0.2-13.5 cm); median CA-125 was 17.0 U/mL (range, 1-7000 U/mL). In all, 49 (18.7%) patients had malignancy identified at laparoscopy, with 30/49 (61.2%) diagnosed with metastatic malignancy to the ovary and 19/49 (38.8%) having a new primary ovarian malignancy. Median tumor diameter and CA-125 were significantly higher in women found to have a malignancy (4.7 vs. 3.7 cm, and 35 vs. 14 U/mL, respectively). Overall, conversion to laparotomy occurred in 34 (12.9%) cases. Twenty-one of 49 (42.9%) patients with malignancy were converted to laparotomy compared with 13/213 (6.1%) when benign disease was noted (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1 in 5 patients with a history of nongynecologic malignancy who were selected for laparoscopic management of an adnexal mass was found to have malignancy, with 60% being metastatic from other primaries. The majority of cases were managed laparoscopically even if malignancy was identified.     

Peri- and post-menopausal incidental adnexal masses and the risk of sporadic ovarian malignancy: new insights and clinical management

Adnexal masses are common among peri- and post-menopausal women. Although ovarian cancer is a significant cause of mortality in menopausal women, large population-based studies demonstrate that the majority of adnexal masses are benign. Despite this, the appearance of an adnexal mass is a concern for the patient and an insight exercise for physicians. In most cases, an adnexal enlargement is an incidental finding, generally corresponding to a benign cyst and easily diagnosed by conventional ultrasound. Exceptionally an ovarian tumour may be malignant and should be treated as early as possible. When conventional ultrasound renders complex morphology other diagnostic tools must be used such as: colour Doppler and functional tumour vessel properties, serum CA 125 levels, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and in some cases laparoscopy. Several new tumour markers are being studied for clinical application, although there are presently no clear recommendations. Adnexal masses with benign morphological and functional properties must be periodically monitored as an alternative to surgery since malignant transformation is exceptional.     

Assessment of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in women with benign ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVES: Overexpression of intracellular adhesion molecule-I (ICAM-1) was observed in many benign and malignant tumors. The aim of our study was to evaluate its serum concentrations as well as CA-125 in women with benign ovarian tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five women treated surgically because of benign ovarian mass. RESULTS: Mean concentrations of sICAM-1 in benign tumors was 241.8+/-74.1 ng/ml and 195.6+/-68.7 ng/ml in healthy controls. No correlations between sICAM-1 concentrations and leukocyte count, tumor volume, BMI and obstetrical history. Efficiency in tumor differentiation was higher for CA-125 than sICAM-1 (area under Receiver Operating Characteristic curve 0.78 and 0.63 respectively). We observed higher sICAM-1 concentrations in fibrothecomas and lower in endometrial and dermoid cysts. CONCLUSIONS: Serum ICAM-1 concentrations correlate with some histological types of benign tumors, but not with tumor volume. Levels of CA-125 are more effective than ICAM-1 in ovarian tumors differentiation.     

Preoperative evaluation of CA 125 and CA 19-9 serum levels in patients with ovarian masses

Serum CA 125 and CA 19-9 were presurgically measured in 40 patients with ovarian carcinoma and in 108 with benign ovarian pathologies. The sensitivity for ovarian carcinoma of CA 125 (cut-off value = 65 U/ml) and CA 19-9 (cut-off value = 40 U/ml) were 67.5% and 37.5% respectively. In particular serum CA 125 was elevated in 71.9% of non-mucinous and in 50% of mucinous carcinomas, while serum CA 19-9 was high in 25% of non-mucinous and in 87.5% of mucinous malignancies. The correlation of CA 19-9 with mucinous histotype was significant. Elevated serum levels of CA 125 and CA 19-9 were observed respectively in 14.7% and in 13.8% of benign adnexal masses. The percentages of elevated serum marker levels were significantly higher in patients with ovarian carcinoma than in women bearing benign ovarian pathology (P less than 0.001 for CA 125; P less than 0.01 for CA 19-9). Serum CA 125 and CA 19-9 alone cannot clarify the nature of an adnexal mass. However, the measurement of serum levels of these markers could give additional information to other diagnostic methods, such as ultrasonography, for discriminating benign from malignant ovarian pathologies.     

Serum, pleural effusion, and ascites CA-125 levels in ovarian cancer and nonovarian benign and malignant diseases: a comparative study

OBJECTIVES: Cancer antigen-125 (CA-125) is not a specific tumor marker and it is synthesized by normal and malignant cells of different origins. Recently it has been shown that various diseases are associated with increased CA-125 levels, especially in the presence of serosal fluid. The aim of this study is to investigate serum and fluid CA-125 levels in patients with different diseases. METHODS: A total of 133 patients and 23 healthy control cases were included in the study and divided into eight groups on the basis of disease and the presence of fluid in the serosal cavities. Serum and serosal fluid CA-125 levels were measured by a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit at the same time. Comparisons among the groups were made. RESULTS: Abnormal levels of serum CA-125 were observed in 76% of ovarian cancer patients; 96% in patients with ascites and 56% in patients without ascites. Moreover, elevated serum CA-125 levels were detected in 52% of patients with hepatic diseases, in 100% of patients with nongynecologic peritoneal carcinomatosis, and in 87% of patients with pleural effusion. Serum and fluid CA-125 levels were significantly higher in cases of ovarian cancer with ascites than in the other groups (P < 0.01). A positive correlation between serum CA-125 levels and ascites amounts was observed in cases of ovarian cancer with ascites (P < 0.01, r = 0.81). Furthermore, no correlation was observed between ovarian mass volume and serum CA-125 levels in ovarian cancer patients with stage I disease without ascites (P = 0.08, r = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS: Although CA-125 levels may be considered a sensitive tumor marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, it was determined that high serum CA-125 levels were closely related to the presence of serosal fluids and serosal involvement, whatever the origin is. These results should be considered in the interpretation of CA-125 elevation in patients with ovarian cancer.     

Potential Clinical Utility of CA-125 in Responsive but Persistent Large-Volume Ovarian Cancer Following Platinum-Based Chemotherapy:

BACKGROUND: Despite the demonstrated clinical utility of the serum CA-125 antigen level in ovarian cancer, controversy exists regarding interpretation of "discordant" results between changes in this tumor marker and measurable disease masses. CASE: A patient with ovarian cancer cared for in the Gynecologic Cancer Program of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation receiving second-line single-agent carboplatin for recurrent disease demonstrated a major response in serum CA-125, but minimal shrinkage of a large painful abdominal mass. A laparotomy was performed both to define the nature of this mass and to attempt to relieve symptoms. The mass was found to be a large "inflamed pseudotumor with central necrosis." No viable tumors cells were found. CONCLUSION: This case represents an excellent example of the remarkably complex biology of malignant disease and suggests how evaluation of changes in CA-125 in women with ovarian cancer may be utilized in individual patients to develop optimal management plans.     

Managing ovarian masses during pregnancy

The management of adnexal masses during pregnancy can be challenging for the patient and the clinician. The specter of a possible malignancy can sway the decision for intervention versus expectant management. The etiologies of ovarian masses are reflective of the patient's age; and, therefore, benign entities such as functional ovarian cysts, benign cystic teratomas, and serous cystadenomas predominate. In the unusual cases when cancer is present, they are typically germ cell and borderline ovarian tumors, and are commonly low stage and low grade. Ultrasound is the primary modality used to detect ovarian masses and to assess the risk of malignancy. Morphologic criteria more accurately identify benign cysts compared with malignant tumors. Tumor markers are used primarily to monitor disease status after treatment rather than establish the ovarian tumor diagnosis as a result of lack of specificity, because several markers can be elevated inherent to the pregnancy itself (eg, CA-125, beta-hCG). Expectant management is recommended for most pregnant patients with asymptomatic, nonsuspicious cystic ovarian masses. Surgical intervention during pregnancy is indicated for large and/or symptomatic tumors and those that appear highly suspicious for malignancy on imaging tests. The extent of surgery depends on the intraoperative diagnosis of a benign versus a malignant tumor. Conservative surgery is appropriate for benign masses and borderline ovarian tumors. More aggressive surgery is indicated for ovarian malignancies, including surgical staging. Although rarely necessary, chemotherapy has been used during pregnancy with minimal fetal toxicity in patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer in which the risk of maternal mortality outweighs the fetal consequences.