Peritoneal carcinomatosis after prophylactic oophorectomy in familial ovarian cancer syndrome

Abstract

A woman who was at high risk for ovarian cancer because of a strongly positive family history underwent prophylactic oophorectomy, but subsequently developed and died of intraabdominal carcinomatosis. One small focus of adenocarcinoma was found on the ovarian surface in serial sections performed retrospectively on the resected ovaries. This case study emphasizes the importance of thorough histologic examination for familial ovarian cancer syndrome, including serial sectioning of the specimens removed in prophylactic oophorectomy.