Cytological Features of the Large Cell Variant of Small Cell Ovarian Carcinoma in Young Patients with Hypercalcemia: Histological Findings and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE

To present the cytological features of a very rare and lethal ovarian neoplasm occurring in the young.

STUDY DESIGN

We reviewed the cytological findings as they presented in touch imprints obtained from an ovarian mass sent to our department for frozen section investigation.

RESULTS

Smears were highly cellular. The cells were of intermediate size with a moderate amount of microvacuolated, pale, or eosinophilic cytoplasm with indistinct cell borders. The nuclei were of round or oval shape with mild to moderate atypia and indistinct nucleoli.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the ovary can be challenging even histologically. Cytology can be an invaluable adjunct to hematoxylin-eosin sections both pre- or intraoperatively. Although it is a very rare occurrence and cytological results are almost absent in the literature, our case can make cytopathologists more acquainted with the cytological features of this rare tumor entity especially in association with a characteristic clinical profile. Furthermore, the cytological features of small cell carcinoma of the ovary, large cell variant, have only rarely been described in the literature.