Micopapillary serous carcinoma of the ovary: Case report and review of literature

The term 'micropapillary serous carcinoma' (MPSC) has recently been introduced to define a subset of ovarian serous borderline tumors morphologically characterized by a micropapillary pattern and clinically associated with a more aggressive behavior than that of the typical ovarian serous borderline tumors. Ovarian MPSC's are associated with extra-ovarian invasive peritoneal implants and invasive recurrences much more frequently than typical ovarian serous borderline tumors. The case of a women, who at age 28 had bilateral ovarian cystectomy and four months later total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for bilateral ovarian MPSC, is reported. She was free of disease for the next 15 years and then presented with a central pelvic mass. At laparotomy, a recurrence in the form of a solitary invasive peritoneal implant was discovered and completely resected. No postoperative adjuvant therapy was given. To date, 16 years after initial diagnosis of MPSC, and one year after detection of recurrence, the patient is alive, well and without disease. Literature data and this case report support the view that MPSC's should be classified separately from both typical serous borderline tumors and invasive carcinomas of the ovary.