Utility of radiation therapy for early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has a poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. While adjuvant chemotherapy is generally recommended, the role of radiation is uncertain. We examined the association between vaginal brachytherapy and whole pelvic radiation and survival in women treated with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify women with stage I-II UPSC treated between 1998 and 2012. Trends in use of chemotherapy, brachytherapy, and external beam radiation over time were examined. The association between these treatments and mortality were examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 7325 patients were identified. Overall, 2779 (37.9%) received chemotherapy. The use of vaginal brachytherapy increased from 7.2% in 1998 to 29.1% in 2012 (P<0.0001), while use of external beam radiation decreased from 18.2% to 11.7% over the same period (P<0.0001). Use of chemotherapy was associated with a 22% reduction in mortality (HR=0.78; 95% CI, 0.69-0.88). While brachytherapy was associated with decreased mortality (HR=0.67; 95% CI, 0.57-0.78), use of external beam radiation was not associated with survival (HR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.92-1.17). Stratified by stage, use of chemotherapy was associated with decreased mortality for women with stage IB and II tumors, but not for stage IA neoplasms. Vaginal brachytherapy was associated with reduced mortality for stage IA and II neoplasms. CONCLUSION: For women with early-stage UPSC, chemotherapy is associated with improved survival. Vaginal brachytherapy was also associated with improved survival, however, there was little benefit to use of external beam radiation.

Prior breast cancer and tamoxifen exposure does not influence outcomes in women with uterine papillary serous carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes in women diagnosed with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) who have had (UPSCBR+) or have not had (UPSCBR-) an antecedent history of breast cancer and to correlate their outcomes to prior tamoxifen exposure. METHODS: Data were collected for women diagnosed with UPSC at two academic institutions between January 1997 and July 2012. Patient demographics, tumor histology, stage, and treatments were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups: those with and without a personal history of breast cancer. Within the UPSCBR+ cohort, we identified those with a history of tamoxifen use. Cox regression modeling was used to explore associations between selected covariates of interest and the time-to-event outcomes of PFS and OS. RESULTS: Of 323 patients with UPSC, 46 (14%) were UPSCBR+. Of these, 15 (33%) had a history of tamoxifen use. UPSCBR+ patients were older than UPSCBR- (median years, 72 vs. 68, p=0.004). UPSCBR+ women showed no significant difference in PFS or OS compared to UPSCBR- (p=0.64 and p=0.73 respectively), even after controlling for age (p=0.15 and p=0.48 respectively). Within the UPSCBR+ cohort, there was no difference in PFS or OS with or without tamoxifen exposure (p=0.98 and p=0.94 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in PFS or OS between the UPSCBR+ and UPSCBR- cohorts. We did not demonstrate significant OS or PFS differences in women who took tamoxifen prior to their endometrial cancer diagnosis. These findings have implications for counseling, and should be encouraging to women who are facing their second cancer diagnosis.

The incidence of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis in uterine papillary serous and clear cell carcinoma according to the SEER registry.

OBJECTIVE: In this study we utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Results (SEER) registry to identify risk factors for lymphatic spread and determine the incidence of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases in patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) who underwent complete surgical staging and lymph node dissection. METHODS: Nine hundred seventy-two eligible patients diagnosed between 1998 to 2009 with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 1988 stage IA-IVA UPSC (n=685) or UCCC (n=287) were identified for analysis. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for lymph node metastasis, with the incidence of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases reported for each FIGO primary tumor stage. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine factors associated with overall survival. RESULTS: FIGO primary tumor stage was the only independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis (p<0.01). The incidence of pelvis-only and para-aortic lymph node involvement according to the FIGO primary tumor stage were as follows: IA (2.3%/3.8%), IB (7.5%/5.2%), IC (22.5%/16.9%), IIA (20.8%/13.2%), IIB (25.7%/14.9%), and III/IV (25.7%/24.3%). Prognostic factors for overall survival included lymph node involvement (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 1.85; p<0.01), patient age >60 years (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.41; p<0.01), and advanced FIGO primary tumor stage (p<0.01). Tumor grade, histologic subtype, and patient race did not predict for either lymph node metastasis or overall survival. CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of both pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases for FIGO stages IC and above uterine papillary serous and clear cell carcinomas, suggesting a potential role for lymph node-directed therapy for these patients.

Paratesticular papillary serous cystadenocarcinoma: a rare entity in Indian population.

Ovarian-type surface epithelial carcinomas of testis and paratestis are very rare. These tumors develop from mesothelial inclusions or abnormalities in the development of coelomic epithelium. The diagnosis of these lesions can be difficult, both clinically and radiologically, as morphological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features overlap with serous tumors arising in the female genital tract. The pathologist should be aware of the histopathological features and immunostains which help in reaching definite diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge only one such case has been reported in Indian literature. We hereby report a case of young male with this unusual lesion diagnosed on histopathology.

Surgical resection and outcome of pancreatic cystic neoplasms in China: analysis of a 16-year experience from a single high-volume academic institution.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinicopathological features of surgically resected pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) at a single institution in China. METHODS: The medical charts of patients who operated in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2013, were pathologically shown to have PCNs. RESULTS: There was a reliable increase trend not just in the overall number of patients (3 to 75) but additionally in the number of incidentally diagnosed patients across the periods (33.3% to 48.0%). In 83 of 111 cases, preoperative diagnoses matched with pathology, whereas the remaining cases (16/28) were misdiagnosed as pancreatic cancer. The proportion of malignancy in mucin producing neoplasms was 24.3% (9 out of 37). Elevated serum carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) or carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was independently associated with malignancy. The overall survival rate was 96.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of PCNs within this series differs with that revealed in Western countries. Appropriate preoperative differential diagnosing of PCNs remains challenging. It is strongly recommended that patients with elevated CA19-9 or CEA levels undergo surgical resection.

Does the FIGO 2009 endometrial cancer staging system more accurately correlate with clinical outcome in different histologies? Revised staging, endometrial cancer, histology.

OBJECTIVE: In 2009, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system was revised for endometrial cancers. Different histologies were examined in a large population database. The FIGO 1988 and 2009 staging systems were compared for stage at presentation, differences in patient populations, and disease-specific survival (DSS). METHODS/MATERIALS: A total of 10,839 cases from 1998 to 2006 were analyzed from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Examined histologies included 1377 cases of clear cell carcinoma (CC), 2304 cases of uterine papillary serous carcinoma (PS), 755 cases of carcinosarcoma (CS), and 6403 cases of grade 3 endometrial adenocarcinoma (G3A). The median follow-up was 26 months. For each stage and histology, DSS for patient characteristics was examined. RESULTS: Of the 10,839 women with CC, PS, CS, and G3A had a median age of 67 years. White, black, and other ethnicities composed 87.5%, 12%, and 7% of this group, respectively.A higher percentage of non-G3A histology (CS, PS, and CC) was found in 58% of black women versus 39% of white women. The best to worst 5-year DSS was G3A (76.2%), CC (68.8%), PS (59%), and CS (53.4%). Patients with FIGO IIIC2 disease had inferior survival outcomes in CC (P = 0.0079) and G3A (P = 0.047) compared with FIGO IIIC1 disease, whereas DSS was not significantly different for CS and PS between stages IIIC1 and IIIC2. CONCLUSIONS: These findings describe differences in the DSS of various aggressive histologies of EC, with poorer DSS in PS, CC, or CS histologies. Analysis demonstrated the usefulness of the new FIGO staging for DSS prediction between stages IIIC1 and IIIC2 for CC and G3A, and 2 divisions for stage I rather than three.

[Clinical approach to incidental pancreatic cystic lesions].

Cystic lesions of the pancreas are being incidentally recognized with increasing frequency and become a common finding in clinical practice. Despite of recent remarkable advances of radiological and endoscopic assessment and a better understanding of natural history of certain subgroups of cystic lesions, differentiating among lesions and making an optimal management plan is still challenging. A multimodal approach should be performed to evaluate incidentally detected cystic lesions. Emerging evidence supports selective nonoperative management for the majority of patients with cystic lesions, but, for those in whom a suspicion of malignancy remains, surgery is indicated. Concerning long-term follow-up, there is limited data to support the ideal modality, intensity, and duration. Therefore, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of cystic lesions of the pancreas should be established.

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma: epidemiology, pathogenesis and management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) is a rare but aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer. Although it represents only 10% of all endometrial cancer cases, UPSC accounts for up to 40% of all endometrial cancer-related recurrences and subsequent deaths. The present article reviews the literature concerning the epidemiology, molecular pathogenesis and recent updates on management of UPSC. RECENT FINDINGS: Women most often present with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding but may also be diagnosed by vaginal cytology. In women diagnosed with metastatic disease, ascites, omental implants or a pelvic mass may be present. Pelvic and extrapelvic recurrences occur frequently, with extrapelvic relapses being observed most commonly. Although few prospective trials exist, several retrospective series have demonstrated that optimal cytoreduction and adjuvant platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy appears to improve survival. In addition, another approach to UPSC management may lie in targeted therapy. SUMMARY: Women diagnosed with UPSC should undergo comprehensive surgical staging and an attempt at optimal cytoreduction. Platinum/taxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered in the treatment of both early and advanced-stage patients. Careful long-term surveillance is indicated as many of these women will recur. Prospective studies are needed to define the optimal treatment regimens and to study the role of targeted therapies in UPSC.

Management of nevus sebaceous and the risk of Basal cell carcinoma: an 18-year review.

Nevus sebaceous (NS) is a common congenital hamartoma of the skin, usually found on the head and neck. It may undergo malignant transformation to basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However the incidence and lifetime risk of malignant transformation is unknown. We performed an 18-year review of all NS excisions at our institution, to report the number of cases of BCC and other neoplasms within excised NS. The aim is to inform physicians who must weigh the risks in recommending excision of a NS in a pediatric patient population with the risk of malignancy. After a database query for years 1990-2008, charts were reviewed and data were extracted on demographics and surgical history relating to NS. Thirty-one NS with abnormal findings were reviewed microscopically by a dermatopathologist. There were 651 NS distinct lesions among 631 patients and 690 excisions. Twenty-one intralesional diagnoses were found in 18 patients. Five patients (0.8%) had BCC (mean age 12.5 yrs, range 9.7-17.4 yrs). Seven (1.1%) had syringocystadenoma papilliferum (SP) (mean age 8.8 yrs, range 1.7-16.9 yrs), a lesion that may undergo malignant transformation. Malignant transformation of NS can occur in childhood or adolescence. We believe all NS should be excised, however timing of excision can be flexible. Our data do not support age cutoffs or morphologic changes to determine optimal excision time. In conjunction with the treating physician, the parent and patient may weigh the small risk of malignant transformation of NS against the morbidity associated with excision and anesthesia.

Rapidly increasing incidence of papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum in the United States: fact or artifact?

Papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum (PSCP) has been recognized for almost 5 decades, but little is known about the etiology or pathogenesis of this uncommon malignancy. The objective of this analysis was to examine trends in the incidence of PSCP in the United States. Invasive PSCP cases (N = 4,389) were identified through 24 population-based registries in the United States during the period 1995-2004. Incidence rates were calculated per million population. PSCP is a disease of older women, with few cases diagnosed before the age of 40 years. The incidence of PSCP was 64% lower among black women and 47% lower among Asian-Pacific Islander women compared with white women. Rates among Hispanic women were 39% lower than among non-Hispanic women. The majority of PSCP (68%) was diagnosed at a distant stage, underscoring the difficulty of diagnosing this malignancy. The incidence of PSCP has increased dramatically during the past decade in the United States with the greatest rise (>13% per year) among non-Hispanic and white women. This trend was more pronounced among older women and women with early stage disease. The incidence of PSCP shows substantial racial and ethnic diversity. The increase in the rate of PSCP among all racial and ethnic groups during the 10-year observation period is cause for some alarm. Although the reason for this temporal trend is unknown, some of the increase may be attributable to reclassification of ovarian carcinoma to the peritoneum.

Population attributable fractions for ovarian cancer in Swedish women by morphological type.

Using the Swedish Family-Cancer Database, among a total of 1,030,806 women followed from 1993 through 2004, invasive and borderline epithelial ovarian cancer was identified in 3306 and 822 women respectively, with data on family history, reproductive variables, residential region and socioeconomic status. Relative risks and population-attributable fractions (PAFs) were estimated by Poisson regression. The overall PAFs of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer for family history and for reproductive factors were 2.6 and 22.3%, respectively, for serous/seropapillary cystadenocarcinoma (3.0 and 19.1%), endometrioid carcinoma (2.6 and 26.6%), mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (0.5 and 23.9%) and clear-cell carcinoma (2.6 and 73.9%). The corresponding PAFs of borderline tumours due to family history were lower, but higher due to reproductive factors. Family history, low parity and young age at first birth were associated with elevated risks. The risks for women with a family history were among the highest, but these women accounted for the smallest proportion of the cases, giving the lowest PAFs.

The prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in uterine papillary serous carcinomas.

OBJECTIVES: We have shown that preoperative thrombocytosis (platelet counts >400 x 10(9)/l) is an independent poor prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) and is associated with worse survival. In light of the similarities between uterine papillary serous carcinomas (UPSC) and EOC, we sought to determine the incidence of thrombocytosis in UPSC and examine associations with clinico-pathologic features and survival. METHODS: 68 patients with UPSC were identified between 1996 and 2004 at 3 institutions. After IRB approval, records were retrospectively reviewed and data analyzed using Chi-squared and Cox proportional hazards model; survival was analyzed by the method of Kaplan and Meier. RESULTS: 8/68 (12%) patients had thrombocytosis at primary diagnosis. Patients with thrombocytosis were found to have more advanced stage disease (p=0.002) and ascites >1 L (p<0.0001). Of the 21 patients with stage IV disease, those with normal preoperative platelet counts demonstrated a greater likelihood of optimal tumor resection to less than 1 cm residual disease (13/15 versus 1/6 in patients with thrombocytosis, p<0.002). Patients with thrombocytosis had a shorter disease-free interval (17 months versus median survival not yet reached, p=0.0067) and overall survival (24 versus 45 months, p=0.0026). On multivariate analysis, thrombocytosis retained significance as a poor prognostic indicator in patients after controlling for age and stage (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytosis may be a marker of aggressive tumor biology in UPSC. Platelet-secreted growth factors may promote aggressive cancer phenotype through contribution to metastasis, invasion, and primary tumor growth.

Computed tomography findings of primary serous papillary carcinoma of the peritoneum in women.

With the aim to describe preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings, the clinical, histopathological, and CT findings of the 12 consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma (PPSPC) were retrospectively evaluated. Of the 12 patients with a mean age of 57.5 +/- 10.3 years, ten (83.3%) were postmenopausal. Serum Ca-125 levels were elevated in all patients. Ten (83.3%) had Stage III and two (16.7%) patients had Stage IV disease and none of the excised ovaries had deep parenchymal involvement. The most common CT findings were the omental (n = 11), mesenterial (n = 11) and parietal peritoneal involvements (n = 10), and variable amount of ascites (n = 10). Pelvic peritoneal involvement in four (33.3%) patients was so extensive that it resembled a mass in the Douglas pouch. Thickening of the wall of gastrointestinal viscera (n = 9), lymphadenopathy (n = 5) and pleural effusion (n = 5) were the other CT findings and calcification was seen in only three (25.0%) patients. Although, none of them was characteristic, CT features of diffuse peritoneal, omental and mesenterial involvement especially in middle-aged or elderly postmenopausal women with normal-size ovaries in the absence of an identifiable primary site in conjunction with elevated level of serum CA-125 should suggest the possibility of PPSPC.

Familial invasive and borderline ovarian tumors by proband status, age and histology.

Age-specific familial risks in ovarian cancer have not been assessed by histologic types of medically verified cancers. We used the nationwide Swedish Family-Cancer Database on 10.2 million individuals and 19,175 invasive and 3,436 borderline ovarian cancers to calculate, by affected family members, standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for familial ovarian cancer in 0-66 year old daughters. SIRs for all invasive ovarian cancer were 2.68 (95% CI 2.22-3.21) by ovarian cancer in mother, 2.94 (1.40-5.94) by an affected sister and 24.03 (6.12-74.46) by both an affected mother and sister. The population-attributable fraction from mothers was 2.52%. Seropapillary cystadenocarcinoma showed the highest familial risk, but the effect of histopathol subtype could not be fully assessed because of lack of data in probands. Age-specific data showed some early-onset components and an unusual maximal incidence in the 40s. A comparison to an earlier study on BRCA1/2 mutation analysis and relative risks of ovarian and breast cancer suggests that these mutations could account for 26% of the familial aggregation of ovarian cancer. Histopathology and age of onset appear to be important attributes of familial ovarian cancer, suggesting that further gene identification efforts should target a specific histopathology in early-onset patients.

[Male breast cancer]. / Le cancer du sein chez l'homme.

This study has been realized to determine epidemiological profile and clinico-pathologic aspects of male breast cancer in the south of Tunisia. We has counted and analysed all male breast cancers diagnosed in the general surgery department of the Sfax university teaching hospital with proof pathologic or to defect cytologic of malignancy, between 1989 and 2000. In the court of these years 23 new cases of mammary cancer has been diagnosed at the man. The average patient age was 68 years (extremes 40 and 95 years). According to TNM classification of 1988, 4.3% were classified T1, 26.1% T2, 8.6% T3 and 61% T4; 22% of tumors were M1. Histology found: 3 in-situ carcinomas (13%), 18 ductular infiltrating carcinomas (79%), 1 papillary cystadenocarcinoma, and 1 neuro-endocrin tumor. The clinic profile of male breast cancer in our country rest again relatively little frequent and its clinic profile resist alarming. To get better prognosis it is important to increase information and to promote early detection.

Early ovarian cancer: what is the staging impact of retroperitoneal node sampling?

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive surgical staging of apparent early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer includes peritoneal washings, biopsies, and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Unresolved is the relative frequency or importance of the lymph node dissection. OBJECTIVES: (1) To determine the site(s) of microscopic metastatic disease in women undergoing a comprehensive staging for apparent early-stage cancer of the ovary; (2) to identify those women with metastases in the retroperitoneal lymph nodes alone. METHODS: Between 1985 and 2000, we reviewed all records of women at cancer centres in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Saskatoon who had undergone a "staging laparotomy" for an apparent early-stage IA epithelial cancer of the ovary. Histology, tumour grade, initial and final surgical stage, and the site(s) of metastatic disease were recorded for all cases. RESULTS: Forty-three of the 128 women (34%) had a final surgical stage of II or III. Sixteen women had positive pelvic biopsies, while 19 had microscopic upper abdominal disease. Eight women had positive retroperitoneal nodes, and in only 2 of these women, disease was found in the retroperitoneal nodes alone. In the 8 women with nodal disease, 5 had grade 3 tumours and 6 had serous histology tumours. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive staging is important to identify women with metastatic disease. Solitary nodal metastases are predominantly found in grade 3 and serous tumours.

Familial and hormonal risk factors for papillary serous uterine cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To identify genetic and non-genetic risk factors for papillary serous uterine cancer. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted. Case women with papillary serous uterine cancer were compared with two control groups: 1) women with endometrioid uterine cancer and 2) healthy women with no past history of cancer. Cases and controls were matched for age (within two years) and ethnic group. All study subjects completed a questionnaire addressing family history. The cases and healthy controls were assessed for factors associated with estrogen exposure. RESULTS: The risks of breast cancer (RR 1.84, CI 1.03-3.31) and of prostate cancer (RR 2.21, CI 0.77-6.37) were higher among the relatives of patients with papillary serous uterine cancer, than among relatives of those with endometrioid uterine cancer. Other significant risk factors included weight at 18 years (p = 0.04) and the use of estrogen replacement therapy (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Relatives of women with papillary serous cancer of the uterus had an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer. Hormonal exposure also increases the risk for this cancer. These findings suggest that predisposing genetic factors, possibly related to hormone metabolism, may be common to the three forms of cancer.

Significant pelvic recurrence in high-risk pathologic stage I--IV endometrial carcinoma patients after adjuvant chemotherapy alone: implications for adjuvant radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of pelvic recurrence (PVR) in high-risk pathologic Stage I--IV endometrial carcinoma patients after adjuvant chemotherapy alone. METHODS: Between 1992 and 1998, 43 high-risk endometrial cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients underwent primary surgery consisting of total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. No patients received preoperative radiation therapy (RT). Regional lymph nodes and peritoneal cytology were sampled in 62.8% and 83.7% of cases, respectively. Most patients had Stage III--IV disease (83.7%) or unfavorable histology tumors (74.4%). None had evidence of extra-abdominal disease. All patients received 4-6 cycles of chemotherapy as the sole adjuvant therapy, consisting primarily of cisplatin and doxorubicin. Recurrent disease sites were divided into pelvic (vaginal, nonvaginal) and extrapelvic (para-aortic, upper abdomen, liver, and extra-abdominal). Median follow-up was 27 months (range, 2--96 months). RESULTS: Twenty-nine women (67.4%) relapsed. Seventeen (39.5%) recurred in the pelvis and 23 (55.5%) in extrapelvic sites. The 3-year actuarial PVR rate was 46.5%. The most significant factors correlated with PVR were cervical involvement (CI) (p = 0.01) and adnexal (p = 0.05) involvement. Of the 17 women who developed a PVR, 8 relapsed in the vagina, 3 in the nonvaginal pelvis, and 6 in both. The 3-year vaginal and nonvaginal PVR rates were 37.8% and 26%, respectively. The most significant factor correlated with vaginal PVR was CI (p = 0.0007). Deep myometrial invasion (p = 0.02) and lymph nodal involvement (p = 0.03) were both correlated with nonvaginal PVR. Nine of the 29 relapsed patients (31%) developed PVR as their only (6) or first site (3) of recurrence. Factors associated with a higher rate of PVR (as the first or only site) were CI and Stage I--II disease. CONCLUSIONS: PVR is common in high-risk pathologic Stage I-IV endometrial cancer patients after adjuvant chemotherapy alone. These results support the continued use of locoregional RT in patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to test the addition of chemotherapy to locoregional RT.

Update on low malignant potential ovarian tumors.

Low malignant potential (LMP) ovarian tumors represent a small subset of epithelial ovarian cancers that were first identified 70 years ago but were recognized in a systematic way only within the last 30 years. These lesions afflict women at a much younger age than invasive ovarian cancer, behave in a more indolent manner, and have a much more favorable prognosis. The management of women with LMP tumors is primarily surgical; adjuvant therapy plays little role in early disease and its use in advanced disease is not well defined. Ongoing investigations are attempting to define prognostic factors that may assist clinicians in the appropriate application of postoperative therapy.