Papillary serous carcinoma in ovaries of normal size: a clinicopathologic study of 20 cases and comparison with extraovarian peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological features of papillary serous carcinoma in ovaries of normal size and primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC).

METHODS

Among 167 patients diagnosed with advanced primary serous ovarian carcinoma over a 9-year period, 20 patients with a normal ovarian size (not larger than 4 cm in the longest diameter) were selected for this study after a review of the pathologic materials. The clinicopathological characteristics of the patients were compared with those of seven patients with PPC, diagnosed using the GOG criteria during the same period.

RESULTS

All the patients with ovarian carcinoma and five of seven PPC patients had small ovarian tumors. There were few significantly different features between the two groups. The patients with ovarian carcinoma were younger than those with PPC (median age of 52 vs. 64 years, P=0.007) and tended to have a lower baseline CA125 level (median value of 937 vs. 2870 U/mL, P=0.097), less severe omental involvement (P=0.057), and a more complete response to adjuvant chemotherapy (89% vs. 57%, P=0.064).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the sample size was small, there was no meaningful difference between patients with papillary serous carcinoma in ovaries of normal size and PPC. Therefore, further studies will be needed to determine the relevance of the GOG rules in distinguishing between the two groups.