37. Serous papillary cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary

Overview

Staining: HE

Organ: Ovary

Description:

Normal ovarian tissue is visible. In the centre of the slide the remnants of a cyst can be seen. This cyst is lined by atypical epithelial cells, and it contains papillary processes.

The tumor cells of the cyst have invaded the stroma, as is visible to the right of the cyst. Here psammoma bodies are also visible.

Diagnosis: Serous cystadenocarcinoma

The cells of the epithelium are atypical.

Risk factors:

• 30 – 40 year old women

Theory:

If there were no stromal invasion of tumor cells this would be classified as a borderline cystadenoma.

In addition to ovarian carcinoma, psammoma bodies are often seen in thyroid carcinoma and meningioma.

Here the ovarian stroma has been infiltrated by the tumor cells.

Psammoma bodies