Malignant Transformation of Pelvic Endometriosis: Case Series and Review of the Literature. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jaiman, Sunil; Pochiraju, Manjula; Gundabattula, Sirisha Rao; Surampudi, Kameswari; Narayana Rao, Dama Venkata Lakshmi; Kandikattu, Sreekanth
• Is Part Of: International journal of surgical pathology. Volume 23:Number 6(2015)
• Page Start: 465
• Page End: 471
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: endometrioid adenocarcinoma -- endometrioma -- epithelial ovarian cancer -- malignant transformation -- pelvic endometriosis; Pathology, Surgical -- Periodicals; 617.07
• DOI: 10.1177/1066896915583995
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-8969

Abstract

Endometriosis affects 4% to 13% of all women of reproductive age although its true incidence is unknown. The ability of endometriosis to transform into malignancy, first described by Sampson in 1925, is a rare occurrence affecting 1% of lesions with ovary being the primary site in 79%. The authors describe 3 premenopausal women without risk factors for malignancy presenting with ovarian and/or extraovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma. All of them demonstrated features of pre-/coexisting endometriosis but malignancy was preoperatively suspected in only 1 instance. Postsurgical follow-up of the cases did not document any recurrence. The propensity for malignant conversion occurring in women 10 to 20 years younger vis-a-vis those affected by de novo ovarian cancer, destruction of the endometriotic foci, and underreporting vindicate close follow-up and scrutiny of women with endometriosis and ovarian endometriomas.