Management of advanced juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor in an adult woman during pregnancy: A case report and review of the literature

Objective

To report a case of stage IIIB juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) complicating pregnancy in a 33 year-old (y.o.) woman.

Methods

Retrospective review of the clinical data, imaging studies, and pathology reports of a case of JGCT diagnosed during pregnancy. Patient consent was obtained for review and presentation of the case. A literature review was conducted.

Results

A 33 y.o., gravida 3, para 1 was incidentally found to have an 8 cm left ovarian mass on an anatomy scan at 22 weeks gestation. Four days later, she presented to labor and delivery triage with abdominal pain. An ultrasound revealed an 11 cm heterogeneous, solid mass in the left adnexa and free fluid at this level. The diagnosis of degenerating fibroid was made based on her clinical presentation and she was discharged. A follow up outpatient MRI revealed a 15 cm left ovarian mass consistent with a primary malignant ovarian neoplasm with moderate ascites and omental, left cul de sac, and probable paracolic gutter implantation. She re-presented 2 weeks later with an acute abdomen and was admitted for a gynecologic oncology consult. Pre-op tumor markers showed an elevated inhibin B. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy, left salpingo-oophorectomy, omental biopsy, and small bowel resection at 25 weeks gestation. Intra-op findings included a ruptured tumor and metastases. Tumor reductive surgery was completed to R0. Pathology revealed a JGCT, FIGO stage IIIB. The pathology and management were reviewed in collaboration with an outside institution. Chemotherapy was delayed until after delivery with monthly MRI surveillance. She underwent induction of labor at 37 weeks followed by an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. She received 3 cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin starting six weeks postpartum. Last known contact was over five years after the initial diagnosis with no evidence of recurrent disease.

Conclusion

JGCTs account for 5% of granulosa cell tumors and 3% are diagnosed after age 30. JGCT is an uncommon neoplasm in pregnancy. 90% are stage I at diagnosis, but advanced stage tumors are aggressive often resulting in recurrence or death within 3 years of diagnosis. We present a surgically treated case with delay in chemotherapy until after delivery with a good outcome after 5 years of follow up.

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor in pregnancy: case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy complicated with juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) is very rare; thus, the experience on clinical diagnosis and management is limited.

CASES

Two patients presented with abdominal pain, two were incidentally discovered, one by ultrasonography, and one during a caesarian section. One case received an emergency caesarian section because of tumor rupture at 38th week's gestation, the rest were treated at full term and no abnormalities were detected in the newborns. Three cases received further staging surgery, two of which received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. No patient had recurrent disease after a follow-up period spanning from 13 to 57 months.

CONCLUSION

In the absence of emergency, surgery can be delayed without affecting the fetus. More research is needed to determine the value of chemotherapy in FIGO stage I patients.

Retrospective analysis of clinicopathological characteristics of 19 ovarian juvenile granulosa cell tumor cases

AIM

To describe the clinical and pathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 19 patients with histopathologically confirmed juvenile granulosa cell tumors treated in two medical centers in Wuhan city of China between 1999 and 2019.

RESULTS

Totally, 19 patients were included during the period. The median age at diagnosis was 8.25 years (range, 0.25-28 years). The most common clinical presentation was abdominal pain, five out of 10 prepubertal children presented with precocious puberty. Three patients underwent radical surgery (including total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy), the other 16 patients had fertility-sparing surgery (cystectomy or ipsilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without omentectomy and lymphadenectomy). Eighteen patients had the international federation of gynecology and obstetrics (FIGO) stage I tumors, one patient had FIGO stage II disease. Twelve patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up time from the time of diagnosis was 35 months (range, 13-250 months). One patient experienced relapse and died of the disease 32 months after the initial diagnosis. Eighteen patients were alive and had not experienced recurrence during the follow-up period. The reproductive age patients that received fertility-sparing surgery had regular menstruation.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of JGCTs are diagnosed as FIGO stage I tumors and have favorable clinical outcomes. Adjuvant chemotherapy seems to improve outcomes for patients with advanced-stage JGCTs; however, the value of chemotherapy in stage Ic patients is still unknown. Fertility sparing surgery should be considered in young patients who wish to bear children.

Pediatric Gynecologic Cancers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Three primary categories of gynecologic cancer are found in pediatric and adolescent patients: stromal carcinomas including juvenile granulosa cell tumors and Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors, rhabdomyosarcomas arising from the vagina and cervix (sarcoma botryoides), and ovarian germ cell tumors which comprise a wide range of histologies. These entities are rare and treatment approaches have focused on decreasing late effects of chemotherapy treatment. Here, we review presentation, histologic classifications, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations for pediatric gynecologic cancers.

RECENT FINDINGS

Event-free and overall survival for these cancers is high, and the goals of treatment are minimization of morbidity and preservation of fertility with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomies and limited staging. Surveillance of tumor markers after surgery is helpful in monitoring for disease progression and adjuvant chemotherapy is often reserved for patients at recurrence. Recent literature supports avoiding chemotherapy even in high-grade germ cell tumors in the pediatric population.

Fertility-sparing surgery for advanced juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

BACKGROUND

Juvenile granulosa cell tumors (JGCT) of the ovary are rare. They usually present in children and adolescents. About 90% are diagnosed in early stage (FIGO I) with a favorable prognosis. More advanced stages (FIGO II-IV) usually have a poor clinical outcome.

CASE

We report a case of long-term survival of a teenager with Stage III JGCT treated with aggressive debulking and thorough staging, but conservative surgery relative to the uterus, contralateral uninvolved ovary, and fallopian tube, plus combination chemotherapy. Her tumor recurred twice, 18 months and 17 years later, for which she had 2 additional surgeries and more chemotherapy. Our patient achieved 2 pregnancies and had 3 children.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

With fertility sparing surgery, patients may be able to achieve pregnancies and children.

Recurrent juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary managed by palliative radiotherapy

Prognosis in the few patients with advanced-stage juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) of the ovary has traditionally been unfavorable. We report a recurrent JGCT patient managed by palliative radiotherapy. A 37-year-old woman with recurrent JGCT received a combination of paclitaxel–carboplatin chemotherapy and then single-agent docetaxel, but her disease progressed with multiple abdominal masses and ascites. We chose palliative radiation therapy to relieve her complaints. Whole-abdominal external beam radiotherapy with pelvic boost was delivered. She tolerated the treatment well. After the completion of radiotherapy, ultrasonography showed shrinkage of the tumor, and the ascites disappeared. We should consider using radiation therapy in a palliative setting for such patients with recurrent JGCT suffering from abdominal complaints

Combination of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin for the treatment of advanced ovarian granulosa cell tumors

The objective is to investigate the activity and toxicity of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) regimen in ovarian granulosa cell tumors (OGCTs). Twenty consecutive patients with initial metastatic (5 patients) or recurrent (15 patients) OGCT were treated; BEP regimen: B: 30 mg intravenously or intramurally on days 1, 8, and 15; E: 100 mg/m2/day on days 1–5; and P: 20 mg/m2/day on days 1–5. Median age: 42 years (range: 17–60); median follow-up: 45 months (range: 3–112). The overall response rate is 90% (nine clinical complete response [CR], nine clinical partial response) with a median duration of 24 months (range: 4–77). A second-look laparotomy performed in 11 patients showed a pathologic CR in 7 cases and microscopic disease in 1 case. Seven patients remain free of disease (at 4–84 months); 11 patients relapsed (median: 24 months, range: 13–58), 12 patients are still alive, and 9 patients are without disease (2 patients in second CR). At 4 years, overall survival and event-free survival are respectively 58% and 30%. Toxicity is evaluable for 19 patients (48 cycles). A grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 15% of cycles (in seven patients) with a febrile neutropenia in four patients. Five patients experienced a low bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. BEP regimen appears to be an active regimen for OGCT in first-line chemotherapy.

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary associated with hypercalcemia

INTRODUCTION

Juvenile granulosa cell tumors (JGCTs) are rare ovarian neoplasms that typically occur in children and young women. While most JGCTs are diagnosed in Stage IA and can be cured by unilateral oophorectomy alone, the remainders are diagnosed in more advanced stages and may exhibit aggressive behavior despite surgery and chemotherapy. Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia occurs in 5% of ovarian malignancies with small cell and clear cell carcinoma being the commonest ovarian tumors associated with hypercalcemia. Only one case of ovarian JGCT associated with hypercalcemia has previously been documented in the literature.

CASE REPORT

A 25-year-old married childless woman presented with a unilateral ovarian mass associated with profound hypercalcemia and suppressed serum parathyroid hormone-intact (PTH-i) level. After rectifying the hypercalcemia with saline hydration, furosemide, and anti-hypercalcemic drugs, the patient underwent unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy that demonstrated Stage IC ovarian JGCT. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with three courses of BEP (bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin) and to date, ten months after surgery, she is disease-free, eucalcemic, and menstruating normally.

CONCLUSION

This is the second case reported in the literature of ovarian JGCT associated with hypercalcemia. Since serum PTH-i level was suppressed and the hypercalcemia did not recur after resection of the tumor, it is concluded that the hypercalcemia was caused by parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP) produced by the tumor. It seems that unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by BEP chemotherapy is an appropriate treatment for unilateral Stage IC ovarian JGCT in women desiring to preserve ovarian function and childbearing capacity.

A nationwide study of granulosa cell tumors in pre- and postpubertal girls: missed diagnosis of endocrine manifestations worsens prognosis

BACKGROUND

There are very few data on the natural history of ovarian granulosa cell tumors (OGCT) in children. The aim of this study was to determine whether early recognition and diagnosis of the initial endocrine signs could improve the outcome of these tumors.

METHODS

In a nationwide study from 1990 to 2004, we analyzed the clinical, biological and pathologic data from 40 pre- and postpubertal girls presenting an OGCT.

RESULTS

1. Among the prepubertal girls (n = 29), 17 OGCTs were diagnosed on the basis of precocious pseudopuberty. None of the 17 girls had a peritoneal spread of the tumor (100% FIGO stage Ia). Diagnosis based on a tumoral or acute abdomen (12 cases) was associated with frequent intraperitoneal ruptures of the tumor (50%) and a risk of relapse (2 cases). Of the eight girls who had had a misdiagnosed precocious pseudopuberty, five had a pre- or perioperative tumoral rupture. 2. Among the postpubertal girls (n = 11), endocrine manifestations such as secondary amenorrhea or virilization had been underevaluated in three of them and the diagnosis was established from a tumoral abdomen. This clinical presentation was associated with frequent ruptures of the mass in the peritoneum (80%) and a higher risk of recurrence (30%). 3. A delayed diagnosis of OGCT despite previous endocrine signs (11 cases; 8 pre- and 3 postpubertal) was associated with a high risk of pre- or peri-operative peritoneal tumor spreading (70% FIGO stage Ic or IIc, p <0.05). The mean delay for diagnosis ranged from 3 to 11 months.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the critical role of early diagnosis of OGCT in pre- and postpubertal girls, particularly at the first seemingly banal signs of endocrine disorder. Peritoneal spread of the tumor may thereby be prevented, which improves the prognosis.

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors--a clinicopathological study of 72 cases from the Kiel Pediatric Tumor Registry

We analyzed 72 patients with ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors (OSCST) registered at the German Pediatric Tumor Registry in Kiel over a 20-year period. Juvenile granulosa cell tumors (JGCT, n=48) were the most frequent histological subtype. In addition, there were 14 Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors, 5 sclerosing stromal tumors, 2 sex cord tumors with annular tubules, 2 thecomas and 1 steroid cell tumor. Stage according to FIGO (International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians) was Ia in 39 patients, Ic in 17 patients, II in 3 patients and III in 1 patient (60 patients with complete data). Compared with adult granulosa cell tumors, JGCT showed pronounced mitotic activity [mean 9.8 mitoses/10 high power field (HPF)], which was significantly higher than in other histological subtypes (2.7/10 HPF, P=0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed frequent coexpression of vimentin (positive in 52/52 examined tumors), cytokeratin (27/33), and inhibin (19/20). Of patients, 12 with Ic or higher stage tumors received adjuvant cisplatinum-based chemotherapy. Event-free survival at 10 years was 0.88 +/- 0.05 (38/43 patients with follow-up data). Outcome significantly correlated with stage and mitotic activity (<20 versus > or =20 mitoses/10 HPF: event-free survival 1.0 versus 0.48 +/- 0.05, P=0.0001). In conclusion, this analysis confirms that the majority of patients with OSCST present at low tumor stage and that prognosis in these patients is excellent. Refractory tumors are characterized by high proliferative activity. Therefore, histopathological evaluation substantially contributes to risk assessment in patients with OSCST and might be useful for therapy stratification in prospective therapeutic protocols.

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors in children and adolescents

PURPOSE

To develop diagnostic standards and a risk-adapted therapeutic strategy for ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors (OSCST).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-four patients were prospectively enrolled as follow-up patients onto the German Maligne Keimzelltumoren protocols. Surgical protocols and histopathology were reviewed centrally (53 patients with complete data). Surgery included ovariectomy in 18 patients, salpingo-ovariectomy in 34 patients, and hysterectomy in one patient. Patients with stage IA tumors were followed-up at regular intervals, whereas nine patients with stage IC and six patients with stage II to III tumors were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

RESULTS

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was IA in 27 patients, IC in 21 patients, II in three patients, and III in three patients. After a median follow-up of 59 months (range, 6 to 193 months), event-free survival +/- SD was 0.86 +/- 0.05 (47 of 54 patients) and overall survival was 0.89 +/- 0.05 (49 of 54 patients). Prognosis correlated with stage (event-free survival +/- SD: IA, 1.0 [27 of 27 patients]; IC, 0.76 +/- 0.09 [16 of 21 patients]; and II/III, 0.67 +/- 0.19 [four of six patients]; P =.02). Ten of 15 patients treated with chemotherapy, including four of six stage II to III patients, are alive after a median follow-up of 33 months.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of a standardized clinical and histopathologic assessment, risk-adapted therapeutic strategies for OSCST can be evaluated. Considering our experience, we would recommend that stage IA tumors be followed up at regular intervals, whereas we would recommend cisplatin-based chemotherapy in stage IC tumors with preoperative rupture or malignant ascites, especially those with high mitotic activity. Finally, cisplatin-based chemotherapy also seems to be effective in advanced-stage tumors.

Granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

Adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary is oftentimes a hormonally active, stromal cell neoplasm that is distinguished by its ability to secrete sex steroids such as estrogen. Patients may present with vaginal bleeding caused by endometrial hyperplasia or uterine cancer as a result of prolonged exposure to tumor-derived estrogen. In addition, GCT is a vascular tumor that may occasionally rupture and result in abdominal pain, hemoperitoneum, and hypotension, mimicking an ectopic pregnancy in younger patients. GCT is usually associated with a mass on pelvic examination that is subsequently confirmed on ultrasonography. Surgery is required for definitive tissue diagnosis, staging, and tumor debulking. In older women, a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomy are typically performed. In women of childbearing age, a more conservative unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy may be performed, assuming that careful staging reveals that the disease has not extended outside of the involved ovary and that a concomitant uterine cancer has been excluded. Survival of patients with GCT is generally excellent because most patients present with early-stage disease, although certain high-risk patient groups may be identified. Stage is the most important prognostic factor, with a higher risk of relapse being associated with stages II through IV disease. In addition, patients with stage I disease associated with features such as large tumor size, high mitotic index, or tumor rupture may also be at higher risk in some series. The value of postoperative adjuvant therapy for high-risk patients has not been investigated by prospective randomized trials, which are difficult to perform because of the rarity of this tumor. Nonetheless, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation has sometimes been associated with prolonged disease-free survival in patients with high-risk features. Because of the propensity of GCT to recur years after initial diagnosis, prolonged surveillance with serial physical examination and serum tumor markers such as estradiol and inhibin is reasonable.

Successful multimodality therapy of recurrent multifocal juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) of the ovary, a rare pediatric cancer, carries a very poor prognosis in advanced and recurrent cases. A 10-year-old girl with stage IA JGCT, initially treated with resection only, presented with extensive unresectable multifocal pelvic recurrence. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy (cisplatin/paclitaxel alternating with cisplatin/cyclophosphamide/etoposide/bleomycin), myeloablative chemotherapy (carboplatin/etoposide/melphalan) with autologous bone marrow transplant, and pelvic radiation. She tolerated therapy well and is in complete remission 69 months after her recurrence.

Management of recurrent juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

BACKGROUND

Juvenile granulosa cell tumors of the ovary are a rare form of neoplasm that makes up less than 5% of ovarian tumors in childhood and adolescence. About 90% are diagnosed in stage I with a favorable prognosis. More advanced stages (FIGO stages II--IV) have a poor prognosis.

CASE

A patient was initially diagnosed at age 17 with FIGO stage IIIC disease and treated with a right salpingo-oophorectomy, debulking, and staging followed by six cycles of carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapy. Tumor recurrence in the liver and adjacent to the spleen occurred 13 months after completion of primary therapy. Aggressive surgical removal of tumor followed by six cycles of bleomycin and taxol as salvage chemotherapy resulted in 44 months of disease-free survival. On November 27, 2000, she had a cesarean delivery of a 2335-g normal male due to a breech presentation. Exploration revealed no evidence of tumor.

CONCLUSION

This is the second case report of a patient with advanced juvenile granulosa cell tumor to become pregnant after apparently successful chemotherapy. These results are encouraging, but the best treatment for extensive and recurrent disease has yet to be determined.

Juvenile granulosa cell tumors of the ovary in children and adolescents: results from 33 patients registered in a prospective cooperative study

Clinical and pathological data from 33 prospective registered patients who suffered from juvenile granulosa cell tumors (JGCT) were evaluated according to treatment and outcome. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 7.6 years (range, 6 months to 17.5 years). Fourteen patients showed signs of a pseudo-precocious puberty. In 1 patient premenarcheal bleeding was the only clinical symptom of the disease. A pelvic tumor or an abdominal distention was found in 6 children, revealing signs of an acute abdomen in 3 children. Tumor staging was performed according to the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) classification for ovarian tumors. Twenty children and adolescents were classified as FIGO stage Ia; 8 children had stage Ic tumors. In 4 patients stage IIc and in 1 patient stage IIIc tumors were observed. For local tumor control all 33 patients underwent tumor resection and oophorectomy, which was complete in 28 patients. Adjuvant combination chemotherapy was used in 1 girl who presented with high mitotic pathological index features in FIGO stage Ia. In 8 other children between FIGO stage Ic and IIIc, treatment was also intensified by multidrug chemotherapy. After a follow-up period of 168 months, an event-free survival of 0.75 +/- 0.07 was observed. From our data we conclude that multidrug chemotherapy including cisplatin-based regimens may be useful to enhance treatment results of JGCT, especially in advanced FIGO stages.

Cancer in pregnancy: a review of the literature. Part I

Cancer is an important cause of death in the United States in women of childbearing age. Approximately 1 per 1000 pregnant women will develop cancer. This review (Part II follows in this issue) examines the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of cancer during pregnancy; both in terms of the cancer's effect on the pregnancy, and the pregnancy's effect on the cancer. Some diagnostic modalities and some therapies are problematic to the fetus and placenta. However, in most cases and the pregnancy can be managed concurrently with a good outcome for the baby and without compromising the mother's prognosis.

Dominant lethal and heritable translocation tests with chlorambucil and melphalan in male mice

Chemicals used in the treatment of cancer include several that are potent mutagens in a range of in vitro and in vivo assays. For some, genetic effects have also been demonstrated in humans, detected as chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes. Because (1) many of these agents are confirmed mutagens, (2) humans are exposed to them in relatively high doses, and (3) an increasing number of early cancer victims are surviving to reproductive age, it is important that information be available on the genetic and reproductive hazards associated with exposure to these agents. Chlorambucil and melphalan are structurally related chemicals that are included in our efforts to identify and assess such hazards among cancer chemotherapy agents. To date, both have been reported to induce specific locus mutations in germ cells of male mice (Russell et al., 1989; Russel et al., 1992b) and melphalan is one of very few chemicals shown to induce such mutations in spermatogonial stem cells. More recently, both chemicals were found to have strong reproductive effects in female mice (Bishop and Generoso, 1995, in preparation). In the present studies, these chemicals were tested for the induction of dominant lethal mutations and heritable translocations in male mice. Both chemicals were found to have reproductive effects attributable to cytotoxicity in specific male germ cell stages and to induce dominant lethal mutations and heritable translocations in postmeiotic germ cells, particularly in mid to early stage spermatids. Thus, relatively extensive data are now available for assessing the genetic and reproductive hazards that may result from therapeutic exposures to these chemicals.