Effect of tumor size on the accuracy of frozen section in the evaluation of mucinous borderline ovarian tumors

Factors Affecting the Diagnostic Discordance Between Frozen and Permanent Sections in Mucinous Ovarian Tumors

Purpose

To investigate the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section (FS) diagnosis for predicting the permanent section (PS) diagnosis of mucinous ovarian tumors and evaluate the factors affecting the diagnostic discordance.

Patients and Methods

This retrospective cohort study was performed in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. All women who underwent ovarian surgery with FS between January 2011 and December 2022 were identified, and those with a diagnosis of mucinous ovarian tumor (MOT) by FS or PS were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic data were extracted.

Results

A total of 180 women were included, of which 141 (78.33%) had diagnostic concordance between FS and PS, yielding a sensitivity of 83.43% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 92.76%. Under- and over-diagnosis occurred in 28 cases (15.56%) and 11 cases (6.11%). Tumor size > 13cm (OR 3.79, 95% CI 1.12-12.73) was an independent risk factor for under-diagnosis, and tumor size ≤ 13cm (OR 16.78, 95% CI 0.01-0.49), laparoscopic surgery (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.92), the combination of other tumor components (including serous, Brenner tumor, and chocolate cyst; OR 7.00, 95% CI 1.19-41.12) were independently associated with over-diagnosis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Log rank test showed no significant difference between misdiagnosed and accurately diagnosed patients (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Intraoperative frozen pathology of MOT is problematic for under- and over-diagnosis. The incorrect diagnosis of FS was related to determining the extent of surgery but had no impact on the patients' long-term recurrence and survival outcomes. In future clinical practice, surgeons need to obtain material accurately and enhance communication with pathologists during the operation to improve the accuracy of FS diagnosis.

Clinical Analysis of 17 Cases of Borderline Ovarian Tumors During Pregnancy

Objective

The study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and prognosis of 17 cases of pregnancy complicated by borderline ovarian tumors to provide help for clinical workers.

Materials and Methods

The clinicopathological data of 17 patients with ovarian borderline tumors during pregnancy at the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 2015 to June 2021 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The average age of the patients was 31.82 years (25–45 years), the average number of pregnancies was 2.06 times (1–6 times), and the average number of births was 0.41 times (0–1 time).

Results

Among the 17 patients, 4 were diagnosed in the first trimester, 2 in the second trimester, and 11 in the third trimester. Most of the first symptoms were cysts, cyst enlargement, or cyst rupture. Among them, 3 cases (1 in the first trimester and 2 in the second trimester) continued pregnancy after a conservative operation, 9 cases underwent cesarean section and a conservative operation simultaneously, and the mother and child had a good outcome. Two cases underwent conservative operations and induced abortion, and 1 case underwent an ectopic pregnancy operation at the same time. The prognosis of the patients was good without recurrence.

Conclusion

Preoperative diagnosis of borderline ovarian tumors in pregnancy is delayed, and imaging and tumor markers are not specific. The coincidence rate between intraoperative frozen pathology and postoperative paraffin pathology was not high. Borderline tumors are mainly treated by surgery, and the prognosis for mothers and infants is good.