Carcinosarcomas and mixed mesodermal tumors of the ovary: a clinicopathologic study of six cases.

A clinicopathologic study of three ovarian carcinosarcomas and three mixed mesodermal tumors of the ovary is presented. None of the patients survived for more than 1 year, irrespective of chemotherapeutic treatment or the extent of surgery. No prognostic differences were noted between the histologic patterns of varying tumor sizes of carcinosarcomas and mixed mesodermal tumors. The association of these two entities with other neoplasms of Müllerian nature suggests a multicentric tumor response of Müllerian tract derivatives. The necessity of adequate sampling, both for correct diagnosis and to exclude the possibility of teratoma (which behaves in a more benign fashion), is emphasized.