An ovarian mass after breast cancer: Metachronous carcinoma or metastasis? A case report

Mucin-Producing Lobular Breast Carcinoma Metastasis to an Ovarian Fibroma: Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Analysis of a Rare Case and Literature Review

Breast cancer stands as the primary cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide, often presenting with distant metastases upon diagnosis. Ovarian metastases originating from breast cancer represent a range of 3-30% of all ovarian neoplasms. Case Report: Herein, we present the histopathological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings of a rare case involving mucin-producing lobular breast carcinoma metastasizing to an ovarian fibroma in an 82-year-old female previously diagnosed with lobular breast carcinoma. Histopathological examination of the excised tissues revealed a biphasic neoplasm characterized by tumor cells expressing AE-1/AE-3 cytokeratin, mammaglobin, GCDFP-15, inhibin, and calretinin. Positive mucin staining was observed using histochemical techniques, and reticulin fibers were demonstrated using the Gordon-Sweets technique. A final diagnosis of mucin-producing lobular breast carcinoma metastatic to a benign ovarian fibroma was rendered. Conclusion: The occurrence of metastatic breast carcinoma overlaid on an ovarian tumor represents a rare and diagnostically challenging scenario.

Ovarian metastases from breast cancer: A report of 24 cases

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological, demographical characteristics and survival outcomes of the patients with ovarian metastases from breast cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Medical records of 24 patients with pathologically confirmed metastases in ovaries treated at two tertiary hospitals between 2000 and 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients' as well as tumor characteristics, and treatment data were collected. Ovarian metastases of breast cancer were documented using a system of analogous to the FIGO classification for ovarian cancer. Survival after primary breast cancer diagnosis and after diagnosis of metastases in ovaries were calculated. Outcomes were compared between the three different procedures bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with omentectomy.

RESULTS

The majority of patients had estrogen receptor positive (87 %) and progesterone receptor positive (91 %), 80 % patients were HER2/neu negative. The majority of patients had primary tumor stage by TNM classification T1 (33 %) and T2 (50 %); node- negative (25 %) and node-positive (75 %); 71 % of patients had no distal metastases in primary breast cancer diagnosis (M0) while 29 % of patients had distant metastases. The median age of primary breast cancer diagnosis was 46.5 ± 10.4 years (range 25-69). The mean time to occurrence of secondary ovarian malignancies after primary breast cancer diagnosis was 62.9 ± 62.8 months (range 0-219). The majority of women underwent adnexectomy (37.5 %) or total hysterectomy with adnexectomy (37.5 %). The mean survival after breast cancer treatment was 72 months, and the mean survival after discovery of ovarian metastases was 25 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that more radical surgical treatment of metastases to ovaries has no increase of survival among patients. However, it should be noted that this may be affected by different stage of primary disease. Thus, larger and more standardized studies need to be done in order to confirm prognostic features and the choice of surgical volume.

Krukenberg Tumors: Update on Imaging and Clinical Features

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this case-based article is to discuss the pathophysiologic findings, common pathways of spread, and imaging features associated with Krukenberg tumors. CONCLUSION. Not all ovarian metastases are Krukenberg tumors. Krukenberg tumors are the most common subtype of ovarian metastases, and they are histologically characterized by signet ring cell mucinous features. Common primary tumor sites include the stomach or colon. Although often difficult, distinguishing between Krukenberg tumors and primary ovarian malignancy on imaging is important because of management and prognostic implications.

Triple negative lobular breast carcinoma metastatic to an ovarian fibrothecoma

A postmenopausal woman with lobular breast carcinoma metastatic to a large ovarian fibrothecoma is presented. The two metastatic tumor nodules were grossly subtle and could have been overlooked in the background of the large ovarian stromal tumor. Thorough sampling of the tumor for histologic examination and supporting immunohistochemical stains were important in establishing the diagnosis. Differential diagnostic considerations are discussed.

An interesting case of likely BRCA2 related bilateral breast cancer with metastasis in the fimbrial part of fallopian tube

Background

In a patient with a germline BRCA2 pathogenic variant with breast cancer, an adnexal mass can represent either a metachronous primary tumor or a metastasis of the breast cancer. A clear distinction between those two possibilities is crucial since treatments differ substantially and so does survival of the patient.

Case presentation

We present a case of a 47-year-old patient with bilateral breast carcinoma with a germline BRCA2 pathogenic variant. The first manifestation of the disease was a lump in her left breast in 1998, histological report was invasive ductal carcinoma, triple-negative. She was treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2011 a new occult carcinoma was found in her right axilla, however the specimen was estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) positive. She was treated as a new primary occult carcinoma of the right breast with surgery, radiotherapy and adjuvant hormonal treatment. In 2016 a mass in the left adnexa was found with imaging techniques. She underwent surgery as if it was primary ovarian cancer, yet histology revealed it was a metastasis of a triple-negative breast carcinoma in the fimbrial part of the left Fallopian tube. She received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery and is now in complete remission.

Conclusion

We present an interesting and quite rare case of two primary breast carcinomas in a patient with a known BRCA2 pathogenic variant with metastasis in the fimbrial part of the left Fallopian tube. We conclude that there were two primary breast tumours and the one from 2011 spread into the fimbrial part of the left Fallopian tube in 2016. Despite the fact that molecular analyses could not confirm the joint tumour origin, we believe that there was a receptor status conversion over time explaining different receptor status. The possibility of a triple-negative metastasis from the tumour treated in 1998 is less probable. With both of aforementioned possibilities being prognostically unfavourable, the patients' outcome is so far excellent and she was in complete remission at the time of writing this article.