Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2024 May-Jun;27(3):270-274.
doi: 10.1177/10935266231222180. Epub 2024 Jan 14.

First Reported Histologically and Molecularly Confirmed Bilateral High-Grade Serous Ovarian Adenocarcinoma Metastasized to Placental Decidua of the Membranes

Affiliations
Case Reports

First Reported Histologically and Molecularly Confirmed Bilateral High-Grade Serous Ovarian Adenocarcinoma Metastasized to Placental Decidua of the Membranes

Salma El Emrani et al. Pediatr Dev Pathol. 2024 May-Jun.

Abstract

A 43-year-old female presented with blood loss and persistent abdominal pain at 14 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound examination and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed bilateral multicystic uterine adnexa. Exploratory laparotomy was performed at 17 weeks of gestation and bilateral serous ovarian adenocarcinoma FIGO stage IIIC was diagnosed. Complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) was not feasible at that moment. Nine days after the exploratory laparotomy, immature rupture of membranes and contractions occurred and she delivered a premature boy after 19 weeks of gestation. Pathological examination of the placenta revealed that her ovarian cancer metastasized to the membranes. We describe the first case of ovarian cancer metastasized to the decidua of the placental membranes with histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular confirmation. This case highlights the importance of conscientious evaluation of placenta and membranes in pregnant women with ovarian cancer.

Keywords: metastasis; next generation sequencing (NGS); ovarian carcinoma; placenta.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Coronal section of MRI performed before exploratory laparotomy with polycystic ovary and fetus.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(A and B) Ovary with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining (100 and 10 µm). (C-E) Metastasis of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma in membranes of placenta, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining (500, 50, and 10 µm). (F) Mutant P53 overexpression in metastasis in membranes of placenta (50 µm).

References

    1. Huang J, Chan WC, Ngai CH, et al.. Worldwide burden, risk factors, and temporal trends of ovarian cancer: a global study. Cancers (Basel). 2022;14(9):2230. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Oehler MK, Wain GV, Brand A. Gynaecological malignancies in pregnancy: a review. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003;43(6):414-420. - PubMed
    1. Van Calsteren K, Heyns L, De Smet F, et al.. Cancer during pregnancy: an analysis of 215 patients emphasizing the obstetrical and the neonatal outcomes. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(4):683-689. - PubMed
    1. Horner EN. Placental metastases. Case report: maternal death from ovarian cancer. Obstet Gynecol. 1960;15:566-572. - PubMed
    1. Patsner B, Mann WJ, Jr, Chumas J. Primary invasive ovarian adenocarcinoma with brain and placental metastases: a case report. Gynecol Oncol. 1989;33(1):112-115. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances