Depression and anxiety in women with malignant ovarian germ cell (MOGCT) and sex cord stromal tumors (SCST): an analysis of the AGO-CORSETT database.

INTRODUCTION: The intention of this study was to evaluate the level of anxiety and depression of malignant ovarian germ cell (MOGCT) and sex cord stromal tumors (SCST) survivors and to identify possible alterable cofactors. METHODS: CORSETT was an observational, multicenter, mixed retrospective/prospective cohort study of the AGO Studygroup. Women who had been diagnosed with MOGCTs and SCSTs between 2001 and 2011 were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to evaluate distress. Predictors of distress (type of surgery, chemotherapy, time since diagnosis, recurrence, second tumor, pain) were investigated using multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: 150 MOGCT and SCST patients with confirmed histological diagnosis completed the questionnaire median seven years after diagnosis. They had a HADS total score ≥ 13 indicating severe mental distress in 34% of cases. Patients after fertility-conserving surgery had lower probability of severe mental distress than those without fertility-conserving treatment (ß = - 3.1, p = 0.04). Pain was associated with the level of distress in uni- and multivariate analysis (coef 0.1, p < 0.01, coef. Beta 0.5). DISCUSSION: Severe mental distress was frequent in patients with MOGCT and SCST and the level of pain was associated with the level of distress. Fertility conserving therapy, however, was associated with less mental distress. Screening and treatment of pain and depression is required to improve mental well-being in survivors of MOGCT and SCST.

The association of reproductive factors with risk of non-epithelial ovarian cancer and comparison with serous ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between reproductive factors and risk of non-epithelial ovarian cancer and to compare the associations with those in serous ovarian cancer. METHODS: From the Danish Cancer Registry, we identified all ovarian cancer cases (≥20 years old at diagnosis) of germ cell (n = 188), sex cord-stromal (n = 116), or serous (n = 4854) histology during 1982-2016. For each case, 15 age-matched female controls were selected with risk set sampling. Reproductive history was obtained from nationwide registries. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between reproductive factors and the three ovarian cancer types. RESULTS: Compared with nulliparity, ever giving birth was associated with increased odds for germ cell tumors (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.85-1.93) and decreased odds for sex cord-stromal (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.44-1.26) and serous tumors (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.64-0.76). Infertility decreased odds for germ cell tumors (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.23-1.76) but increased odds for sex cord-stromal tumors (OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 0.89-5.43) and serous tumors (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.69-2.30). Finally, use of oral contraceptives decreased the odds for all three tumor types (germ cell: OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.29-0.87; sex cord-stromal: OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.13-1.22; serous: OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.40-0.62). CONCLUSIONS: Reproductive factors affected the risk of sex cord-stromal and serous ovarian cancer similarly with decreased risk associated with parity and use of oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives also seemed to decrease the risk of germ cell tumors, whereas parity was associated with increased risk.

A Genome-First Approach to Characterize DICER1 Pathogenic Variant Prevalence, Penetrance, and Phenotype.

Importance: Genetic disorders are historically defined through phenotype-first approaches. However, risk estimates derived from phenotype-linked ascertainment may overestimate severity and penetrance. Pathogenic variants in DICER1 are associated with increased risks of rare and common neoplasms and thyroid disease in adults and children. This study explored how effectively a genome-first approach could characterize the clinical traits associated with germline DICER1 putative loss-of-function (pLOF) variants in an unselected clinical cohort. Objective: To examine the prevalence, penetrance, and phenotypic characteristics of carriers of germline DICER1 pLOF variants via genome-first ascertainment. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study classifies DICER1 variants in germline exome sequence data from 92 296 participants of the Geisinger MyCode Community Health Initiative. Data for each MyCode participant were used from the start of the Geisinger electronic health record to February 1, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: Prevalence of germline DICER1 variation; penetrance of malignant tumors and thyroid disease in carriers of germline DICER1 variation; structured, manual review of electronic health records; and DICER1 sequencing of available tumors from an associated cancer registry. Results: A total of 92 296 adults (mean [SD] age, 59 [18] years; 98% white; 60% female) participated in the study. Germline DICER1 pLOF variants were observed in 1 in 3700 to 1 in 4600 participants, more than double the expected prevalence. Malignant tumors (primarily thyroid carcinoma) were observed in 4 of 25 participants (16%) with DICER1 pLOF variants, which is comparable (by 50 years of age) to the frequency of neoplasms in the largest registry- and clinic-based (phenotype-first) DICER1 studies published to date. DICER1 pLOF variants were significantly associated with risks of thyroidectomy (odds ratio [OR], 6.0; 95% CI, 2.2-16.3; P = .007) and thyroid cancer (OR, 9.2; 95% CI, 2.1-34.7; P = .02) compared with controls, but there was not a significant increase in the risk of goiter (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.7-4.9). A female patient in her 80s who was a carrier of a germline DICER1 hotspot variant was apparently healthy on electronic health record review. The term DICER1 did not appear in any of the medical records of the 25 participants with a pLOF DICER1 variant, even in those affected with a known DICER1-associated tumor or thyroid phenotype. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study was able to ascertain individuals with germline DICER1 variants based on a genome-first approach rather than through a previously established DICER1-related phenotype. Use of the genome-first approach may complement more traditional approaches to syndrome delineation and may be an efficient approach for risk estimation.

Sex Cord Stromal Tumors in Children and Adolescents: A First Report by The South African Children's Cancer Study Group (1990-2015).

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric sex cord stromal tumors (SCSTs) are extremely rare and there are no reported data from Africa. The authors evaluated the outcomes of children and adolescents with biopsy-proven SCSTs in preparation for the introduction of a national protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data were collated from 9 South African pediatric oncology units from January 1990 to December 2015. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to estimate overall survival (OS) and event-free survival. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were diagnosed with SCSTs, 3 male and 20 female individuals, during the study period. Histologies included 1 thecoma, 9 Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors, and 13 juvenile granulosa cell tumors. Stage I tumors predominated (n=14; 60.9%), with 2 stage II (8.7%), 5 stage III (21.7%), and 2 stage IV tumors (8.7%). The upfront resection rate was 91.3% with no reported surgical morbidity or mortality and an OS of 82.1%. Chemotherapy approaches were not standardized. Most children (81.8%), except 2, had recognized platinum-based regimens. Chemotherapy-related toxicity was minimal and acceptable. Assessment of glomerular filtration rate and audiology assessments were infrequent and not standardized. Three patients were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Although the numbers in this cohort are small, this study represents the first national cohort in Africa. The 5-year OS of 82.1% was encouraging. Standardized management of rare tumors like SCSTs is critical to improve ensure OS and address potential long-term sequelae.

Preoperative Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Non-epithelial Ovarian Tumors: Clinical Features and Tumor Markers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of clinical features and preoperative measurement of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), human epididymis protein (HE4), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) serum levels in women with benign and malignant non-epithelial ovarian tumors. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen consecutive women with germ cell, sex cord-stromal, and ovarian leiomyomas were included in this study. The preoperative levels of biomarkers were measured, and then surgery and histopathological analysis were performed. Information about the treatment and disease recurrence were obtained from the medical files of patients. RESULTS: Our sample included 71 women with germ cell tumors (64 benign and 7 malignant), 46 with sex cord-stromal tumors (32 benign and 14 malignant), and 2 with ovarian leiomyomas. Among benign germ cell tumors, 63 were mature teratomas, and, among malignant, four were immature teratomas. The most common tumors in the sex cord-stromal group were fibromas (benign) and granulosa cell tumor (malignant). The biomarker serum levels were not different among benign and malignant non-epithelial ovarian tumors. Fertility-sparing surgeries were performed in 5 (71.4%) women with malignant germ cell tumor. Eleven (78.6%) patients with malignant sex cord-stromal tumors were treated with fertility-sparing surgeries. Five women (71.4%) with germ cell tumors and only 1 (7.1%) with sex cord-stromal tumor were treated with chemotherapy. One woman with germ cell tumor recurred and died of the disease and one woman with sex cord-stromal tumor recurred. CONCLUSION: Non-epithelial ovarian tumors were benign in the majority of cases, and the malignant cases were diagnosed at initial stages with good prognosis. The measurements of CA125, HE4, and CEA serum levels were not useful in the preoperative diagnosis of these tumors.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o papel das características clínicas e a medida pré-operatória dos níveis séricos de CA125, HE4, e CEA em mulheres com tumores de ovário não epiteliais benignos e malignos. MéTODOS: Cento e dezenove mulheres consecutivas com tumores ovarianos de células germinativas, do cordão sexual-estroma, e miomas ovarianos foram incluídas neste estudo. Os níveis pré-operatórios dos biomarcadores foram medidos, a cirurgia e a análise histopatológica foram realizadas. Informações sobre tratamento e recorrência da doença foram obtidas dos prontuários médicos das pacientes. RESULTADOS: Nossa amostra incluiu 71 mulheres com tumores de células germinativas (64 benignos e 7 malignos), 46 com tumores do cordão sexual-estroma (32 benignos e 14 malignos), e 2 com leiomiomas ovarianos. Entre os tumores benignos de células germinativas, 63 eram teratomas maduros, e, entre os malignos, quatro eram teratomas imaturos. Os tumores mais comuns do grupo do cordão sexual-estroma foram fibromas (benignos) e tumores de células da granulosa (malignos). Os níveis séricos dos biomarcadores não diferiram entre os tumores de ovário não epiteliais benignos e malignos. A cirurgia preservadora de fertilidade foi realizada em 5 (71,4%) mulheres com tumores malignos de células germinativas. Onze (78,6%) mulheres com tumores do cordão sexual-estroma malignos foram tratadas com cirurgia preservadora de fertilidade. Cinco (71,4%) mulheres com células germinativas e apenas 1 (7,1%) com tumor do cordão sexual-estroma foram tratadas com quimioterapia. Uma mulher com tumor de células germinativas recidivou e morreu da doença. Uma mulher com tumor do cordão sexual-estroma recidivou. CONCLUSãO: Os tumores de ovário não epiteliais foram benignos na maioria dos casos e os malignos foram diagnosticados em estágios iniciais, com bom prognóstico. A medida dos níveis séricos de CA125, HE4, e CEA não foram úteis no diagnóstico pré-operatório desses tumores.

Preoperative differentiation of benign and malignant non-epithelial ovarian tumors: clinical features and tumor markers / Diferenciação pré-operatória de tumores ovarianos não epiteliais benignos e malignos: características clínicas e marcadores tumorais

Abstract Objective To evaluate the role of clinical features and preoperativemeasurement of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), human epididymis protein(HE4), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) serum levels in women with benign and malignant non-epithelial ovarian tumors. Methods One hundred and nineteen consecutive women with germ cell, sex cordstromal, and ovarian leiomyomas were included in this study. The preoperative levels of biomarkers were measured, and then surgery and histopathological analysis were performed. Information about the treatment and disease recurrence were obtained from the medical files of patients. Results Our sample included 71 women with germ cell tumors (64 benign and 7 malignant), 46 with sex cord-stromal tumors (32 benign and 14 malignant), and 2 with ovarian leiomyomas. Among benign germ cell tumors, 63 were mature teratomas, and, amongmalignant, fourwere immatureteratomas. Themost common tumors in the sex cordstromal group were fibromas (benign) and granulosa cell tumor (malignant). The biomarker serum levels were not different among benign andmalignant non-epithelial ovarian tumors. Fertility-sparing surgeries were performed in 5 (71.4%) women with malignant germ cell tumor. Eleven (78.6%) patients with malignant sex cord-stromal tumors were treated with fertility-sparing surgeries. Five women (71.4%) with germ cell tumors and only 1 (7.1%) with sex cord-stromal tumor were treated with chemotherapy. One woman with germ cell tumor recurred and died of the disease and one woman with sex cord-stromal tumor recurred. Conclusion Non-epithelial ovarian tumors were benign in the majority of cases, and the malignant caseswere diagnosed at initial stages with good prognosis. Themeasurements of CA125, HE4, and CEA serum levels were not useful in the preoperative diagnosis of these tumors.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar o papel das características clínicas e a medida pré-operatória dos níveis séricos de CA125, HE4, e CEA em mulheres com tumores de ovário não epiteliais benignos e malignos. Métodos Cento e dezenovemulheres consecutivas comtumores ovarianos de células germinativas, do cordão sexual-estroma, e miomas ovarianos foram incluídas neste estudo. Os níveis pré-operatórios dos biomarcadores foram medidos, a cirurgia e a análise histopatológica foram realizadas. Informações sobre tratamento e recorrência da doença foram obtidas dos prontuários médicos das pacientes. Resultados Nossa amostra incluiu 71 mulheres com tumores de células germinativas (64 benignos e 7 malignos), 46 com tumores do cordão sexual-estroma (32 benignos e 14 malignos), e 2 com leiomiomas ovarianos. Entre os tumores benignos de células germinativas, 63 eram teratomas maduros, e, entre os malignos, quatro eram teratomas imaturos. Os tumores mais comuns do grupo do cordão sexual-estroma foram fibromas (benignos) e tumores de células da granulosa (malignos). Os níveis séricos dos biomarcadores não diferiram entre os tumores de ovário não epiteliais benignos e malignos. A cirurgia preservadora de fertilidade foi realizada em 5 (71,4%) mulheres com tumores malignos de células germinativas. Onze (78,6%) mulheres com tumores do cordão sexual-estromamalignos foram tratadas comcirurgia preservadora de fertilidade. Cinco (71,4%)mulheres com células germinativas e apenas 1 (7,1%) com tumor do cordão sexual-estroma foram tratadas com quimioterapia. Uma mulher com tumor de células germinativas recidivou e morreu da doença. Uma mulher com tumor do cordão sexual-estroma recidivou. Conclusão Os tumores de ovário não epiteliais foram benignos namaioria dos casos e os malignos foram diagnosticados em estágios iniciais, com bom prognóstico. A medida dos níveis séricos de CA125, HE4, e CEA não foram úteis no diagnóstico préoperatório desses tumores.

Pregnancy-related risk factors for sex cord-stromal tumours and germ cell tumours in parous women: a registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Non-epithelial ovarian cancers are divided into sex cord-stromal tumours (SCSTs) and germ cell tumours (GCTs). Whereas parity and other pregnancy-related factors are protective for epithelial ovarian cancer, their associations with SCSTs and GCTs remains unclear. METHODS: Using data from the medical birth registries from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, we compared all parous women with a diagnosis of SCSTs (n = 420) or GCTs (n = 345) 1970-2013 with up to 10 parous controls (SCSTs n = 4041; GCTs n = 2942) matched on the cases' birth year and country. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of associations between pregnancy-related factors and SCSTs and GCTs. RESULTS: The risk of SCSTs, but not GCTs, decreased with higher age at last birth [≥40 versus <25 years: OR 0.48 (95% CI 0.23-0.98)]. The risk of SCSTs (but not GCTs) also decreased with shorter time since last birth. Number of births, preterm birth, preeclampsia, and offspring size were not associated with risk of SCSTs or GCTs. CONCLUSIONS: We found a decreased risk of SCSTs with higher age at last birth and shorter time since last birth. The risk of SCSTs (but not GCTs) may be influenced by the woman's reproductive history.

Overview of non-epithelial ovarian tumours: Incidence and survival in the Netherlands, 1989-2015.

INTRODUCTION: About 5% of ovarian tumours have a non-epithelial histology, including germ cell tumours (GCTs), sex cord-stromal tumours (SCSTs) and sarcomas. Because these non-epithelial ovarian tumours are rare and population-based studies are scarce, the aim of this population-based study is to describe trends in the incidence, treatment and survival of women with these tumours in the Netherlands. METHODS: All women diagnosed with non-epithelial ovarian malignant tumours in the Netherlands between 1989 and 2015 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Data on demographics, tumour characteristics and initial treatment were collected, and overall survival was analysed. RESULTS: A total of 1258 non-epithelial ovarian tumours were identified comprising 752 GCTs (60%), 341 SCSTs (27%) and 165 sarcomas (13%). The European age-standardised incidence rate (ESR) was 0.4 per 100,000 persons per year for GCTs, 0.2 for SCSTs and 0.1 for sarcomas. Approximately 97% of patients underwent surgical resection for the primary tumour, 31% received systemic treatment and 3% radiotherapy. Between the late 1980s and 2015, five-year overall survival improved for all histologic subtypes: GCTs rose from 73% to 88% (p = 0.03), SCSTs from 64% to 81% (p = 0.57) and sarcomas from 20% to 29% (p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: Malignant GCTs and SCSTs are rare, and their incidence has not significantly changed over recent decades. They have a good prognosis, which also improved slightly during this period. Primary sarcomas of the ovary are extremely rare and still have a poor prognosis.

Safety of Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Premenopausal Women With Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors Confined to the Ovary.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective population-based study was to investigate the oncologic safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) for premenopausal women with malignant sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) confined to the ovary. METHODS: A cohort of women aged 18 to 49 years and diagnosed with a stage I malignant SCST between 1984 and 2013 was drawn from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Based on site-specific surgery codes, women who had FSS, defined as unilateral oophorectomy/tumor resection without hysterectomy, and definite surgery were identified. Cancer-specific survival and overall survival were evaluated after generation of Kaplan-Meier curves, whereas comparisons between the 2 groups were made with the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 255 women who met the inclusion criteria were identified; 161 (63.1%) underwent FSS whereas 94 (36.9%) had definitive surgery (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and hysterectomy). Median follow-up was 104 months. Cancer-specific survival (P = 0.015) but not overall survival (P = 0.76) was superior for women who had definite surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective population-based cohort of premenopausal women with SCSTs confined to the ovary, FSS was associated only with a worse long-term cancer-specific survival compared with definitive surgery. Women undergoing FSS for early stage SCSTs should be extensively counseled and closely monitored.

Sex cord stromal tumours of the ovary, experience at Shifa International Hospital Islamabad.

This descriptive study was carried out at Pathology Department, Shifa International Hospital from 2007 to 2016; all sex cord stromal tumours diagnosed during this time period were included. Epithelial, germ cell and metastatic tumours were excluded from the study. A total of 1254 Ovarian tumours were brought to Shifa of which47 (4%) were labeled as sex cord stromal tumours. Of these 36( 76 %)were granulosa cell tumour (adult33, juvenile3), 7 were labeled as sertoli leydig cell tumours (15%), 3 as thecoma/ fibroma group (7%)and only one case was labeled as microcystic stromal tumour of the ovary (2%). Overall age range for sex cord stromal tumours was 42 (12-71). Immunohistochemistry was done in 41 out of 47 cases. Sex cord stromal tumours of the ovary are rare tumours comprising 4% of the total. Adult Granulosa cell tumour is the commonest tumour seen in our study.

Different features of the histopathological subtypes of ovarian tumors in pre- and postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To date, epidemiological evidence has consistently supported a link between ovarian cancer risk and menopause. However, little is known about how menopause status affects the risk of specific histological subtypes of ovarian tumors. We aimed to analyze the differences in various histopathological subtypes of ovarian tumors between pre- and postmenopausal women. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of women who underwent surgery for ovarian tumors and received histopathological confirmation at the Busan Paik Hospital between January 1997 and October 2016. Pathological findings were regrouped according to 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) classification and subdivided into the following five main categories: epithelial, germ cell, sex cord-stromal, tumor-like lesions, and secondary tumors. RESULTS: A total of 4,683 cases (3,404 premenopausal and 1,279 postmenopausal) were included in this study. Among the 4,683 neoplasms, epithelial tumors accounted for 52.6%, germ cell tumors for 27.1%, sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) for 4.1%, tumor-like lesions for 14.0%, and secondary tumors for 0.8%. Among the epithelial tumors, malignant epithelial tumors were significantly associated with postmenopausal women (5.4% vs 22.1%, P < 0.0001), whereas benign epithelial tumors were significantly associated with premenopausal women (40.5% vs 31.9%, P < 0.0001). Among the 1,271 cases of germ cell tumors, most (97.6%) were benign mature teratoma and 2.4% were malignant germ cell tumors. Germ cell tumors were noted more frequently in premenopausal women than in postmenopausal women (31.3% vs 16.1%, P < 0.0001). Among the 194 cases of SCSTs, fibrothecoma was the most common (71.6%) followed by adult granulosa cell tumor (12.9%). The majority of SCSTs occurred in postmenopausal women (2.1% vs 9.5%, P < 0.0001). Among the 656 cases of tumor-like ovarian lesions, corpus luteum cyst was the most common (31.9%) followed by tubo-ovarian abscess (27.6%). Tumor-like ovarian lesions were significantly associated with premenopausal women (15.2% vs 10.7%, P = 0.0001). Among the 36 cases of secondary tumors, 66.7% of the metastatic ovarian tumors were Krukenberg tumors. There was no significant difference in the incidence of secondary tumors between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the differences in diverse histological subtypes of ovarian tumors according to the menopause status based on the new WHO classification for Korean women.

Prevalence of lymph node metastasis and prognostic significance of lymphadenectomy in apparent early-stage malignant ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective population-based study was to investigate the prevalence of lymph node metastasis in patients with apparent early stage malignant sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) and the effect of regional lymph node sampling/lymphadenectomy (LND) on their survival. METHODS: A cohort of patients diagnosed with malignant SCSTs between 1988 and 2012 was drawn from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Overall and Cancer Specific Survival, stratified by performance of LND, were calculated following generation of Kaplan-Meier curves. Comparisons were made using the log-rank and Breslow tests. A multivariate Cox proportional analysis was performed to determine the effect of LND on overall mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1156 patients with SCST met the inclusion criteria; 1000 (86.5%) and 156 (13.5%) patients had apparent stage I and II disease, respectively. LND was performed in 572 (49.5%) patients. Lymph node metastases were pathologically confirmed in 19 patients (3.3%). Five-year cancer specific survival (CSS) was similar, 92.7% and 94.7%, for patients who did or did not undergo LND, respectively. According to multivariate analysis overall mortality did not differ between the two groups after controlling for age, histology and apparent stage. CONCLUSIONS: Regional lymphatic mode metastasis in patients with apparent early stage SCSTs is uncommon and lymphadenectomy did not confer a survival benefit in this cohort.

Ovarian Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors.

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors are clinically significant heterogeneous tumors that include several pathologic types. These tumors are often found in adolescents and young adults and can present with hormonal manifestations as well as signs and symptoms of a pelvic mass. Serum tumor markers may assist in preoperative diagnosis and surveillance. Several subtypes are associated with genetic predisposition, including those observed in patients with Peutz-Jegher syndrome. Recent studies have elucidated the relationship between Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors and DICER1 mutations. When classified as International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage Ia, most subtypes may be treated with surgery alone. Higher stage or recurrent tumors have variable prognoses that range from a usually rapid course in poorly differentiated Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor to an often prolonged course in adult granulosa cell tumors. New understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of these tumors may pave the way for novel therapeutics.

Non-epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Elucidating Uncommon Gynaecological Malignancies.

Non-epithelial ovarian cancers (NEOC) are a group of fascinating but uncommon malignancies which can be extremely challenging to treat. Collectively, these tumours only represent 10-15% of all ovarian cancers and occur in all age groups from childhood to old age. This broad term includes diverse tumours of germ cell origin, sex cord-stromal cell origin, as well as extremely rare types of ovarian cancer, such as small-cell carcinomas and sarcomas, each of which require specialist management. It is imperative that these rare tumours are managed with accurate diagnosis, staging and treatment in order to optimize patient outcomes. The aetiology and molecular origins of each sub-group of NEOC remain poorly understood and international cooperation to facilitate high quality translational research is needed. This review summarizes the published literature on the incidence, clinical presentation, pathology, therapeutic interventions, survival and prognostic factors of each sub-type of NEOC.

Pathologic Risk Factors in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients With Clinical Stage I Testicular Stromal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Testicular stromal tumors (TSTs) are rare. In adult men with TSTs, various pathologic risk factors have been identified in patients with clinically localized disease that increase the risk of occult metastatic disease (OMD). We systematically reviewed existing literature to analyze the impact of these risk factors on OMD in prepubertal (0 to 12 y) and postpubertal (13 to 21 y) patients. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using the combination of terms: "testicular stromal tumors," "testicular leydig cell tumors," "testicular sertoli tumors," "testicular interstitial tumors," "testicular granulosa tumor," and "testicular sex cord tumors." Studies of patients 0 to 21 years with clinical stage I TSTs were included. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients from 31 publications were included with a median age at diagnosis of 5.7 years (range, 1.2 mo to 21 y). Seventy-nine patients were 12 years and below (median 7.2 mo) and 21 patients were 13 to 21 years (median 16 y). No patients in either group were identified to have OMD at retroperitoneal lymph node dissection or during follow-up surveillance (median follow-up 45.6 y; range, 4 to 360 mo). 99% of those 12 years and below versus 95% of those above 12 years had 0 to 1 pathologic risk factors, and 1% versus 5% had 2+ pathologic risk factors (P=0.38). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical stage I TSTs in adolescent, postpubertal patients appear to behave in a benign manner with few pathologic risk factors, similar to prepubertal patients. Given the low risk of relapse in this population, low-impact surveillance strategies are paramount. Prospective study of these patients is needed, and entry into a tumor registry such as the International Ovarian and Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry is important to learning more about this rare disease.

Ovarian cancer in France: trends in incidence, mortality and survival, 1980-2012.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this epidemiological study was to describe the incidence, mortality and survival of ovarian cancer (OC) in France, according to age, period of diagnosis, and histological type. METHODS: Incidence and mortality were estimated from 1980 to 2012 based on data in French cancer registries and from the Centre for Epidemiology of Causes of Death (CépiDc-Inserm) up to 2009. Net survival was estimated from registry data using the Pohar-Perme method, on cases diagnosed between 1989 and 2010, with date of last follow-up set at 30 June 2013. RESULTS: In 2012, 4615 cases of OC were diagnosed in France, and 3140 women died from OC. World population age-standardized incidence and mortality rates declined by respectively 0.6% and 1.2% per year between 1980 and 2012. Net survival at 5years increased slightly, from 40% for the period 1989-1993 to 45% for the period 2005-2010. Net survival varied considerably according to histological type. Germ cell tumors had better net survival at 10years (81%) compared to epithelial tumors (32%), sex cord-stromal tumors (40%) and tumors without biopsy (8%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a decline in incidence and mortality rates from ovarian cancer in France between 1980 and 2012, but net survival remains poor overall, and improved only slightly over the whole study period.

Distribution of testicular tumors in Lebanon: a single institution overview.

BACKGROUND: Testicular tumors constitute a rare type of cancer affecting adolescents and young adults with recent reports confirming an increase in incidence worldwide. The purpose of this study was to estimate the epidemiological characteristics and histological subtypes of testicular tumors in the Lebanese population according to the WHO classification of testicular and paratesticular tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single institutional retrospective study, all patients diagnosed with a testicular tumor in Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital University in Beirut between 1992 and 2014 were enrolled. The age, subtype based on the 2004 WHO classification and body side of tumor were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of two hundred and forty-four (244) patients diagnosed with a testicular tumor in our institution were included in the study. Two hundred and one patients (82.4% of all testicular tumors) had germ cell tumors (TGCT). Among TGCT, 50% were seminomatous tumors, 48% non-seminomatous tumors (NST) and 2% were spermatocytic seminomas. The NST were further divided into mixed germ cell tumors (63.9%), embryonic carcinomas (18.6%), teratomas (15.4%) and yolk sac tumors (2.1%). The mean age for testicular tumors was 32 years. The mean age for germ cell tumors was 31 years and further subtypes such as seminomatous tumors had a mean age of 34 years, 28 years in non-seminomatous tumors and 56 years in spermatocytic seminoma. Patients with right testicular tumor were the predominant group with 55% of patients. Three patients (1.2%) presented with bilateral tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of different subgroups and the mean age for testicular tumors proved comparable to most countries of the world except for some Asian countries. Germ cell tumors are the most common subtype of testicular tumors with seminomatous tumors being slightly more prevalent than non-seminomatous tumors in Lebanese patients.

Ovarian Cancer in Ghana, a 10 Year Histopathological Review of Cases at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

To determine the histopathological types, age distribution, presenting signs and symptoms of ovarian cancers diagnosed at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana. All histopathology slides and request cards of ovarian cancers diagnosed over a ten-year period (2001 to 2010) were reviewed and the cancers classified according to the World Health Organization 1999 classification. Biographical and clinical data of the patients were collected and results entered into Epi-info to determine the frequency, age distribution and clinical presentation of the various types of ovarian cancer. There were 192 (27.2%) ovarian cancers out of 706 ovarian tumours. Epithelial cancers were the most common: 100 (52.1%), followed by sex cord stromal cancers 66 (34.4%). Majority of epithelial cancers were serous adenocarcinomas (71/100) while most sex cord stromal cancers were adult granulosa cell tumours 46 (69.7%). The mean age of patients with adenocarcinoma was 49 years while that of the 46 adult granulosa cell tumours was 46.5 years. Patients present with varying combinations of symptoms and signs and ovarian cancers present at an earlier age compared to other populations, with the age of presentation being slightly lower for sex cord stromal cancers compared to adenocarcinomas. There are no specific symptoms or signs associated with ovarian cancer at presentation, to assist with diagnosis.

The influence of comorbidity on mortality in ovarian cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is a severe disease with a peak incidence in the older age groups where concurrent morbidity is common and could potentially influence mortality rates. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to study the influence of common comorbidity diagnoses on mortality in ovarian cancer patients. METHODS: The study population was patients with ovarian cancer in Sweden 1993-2006 (n=11.139) identified in the national Cancer Register. Comorbidity data was obtained from the Patient Register and mortality from Cause of Death Register. Mortality was analyzed with Cox' proportional hazards models and subgroup analyses were performed by age and tumor histology. RESULTS: Almost all of the assessed comorbidities increased mortality in ovarian cancer patients. Thromboembolism was the most hazardous comorbidity (HR=1.95, <1 year after cancer diagnosis and HR=7.83, 1-5 years after cancer diagnosis) followed by hematologic complications (HR=1.84 and 7.11 respectively) and infectious disease (HR=1.48 and 5.28 respectively). The occurrence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension had less impact on mortality. CONCLUSION: Thromboembolism, hematologic complications and infections had a pronounced effect on mortality rates in women with ovarian cancer. The impact of comorbidity was mainly apparent among those with a more prosperous prognosis, such as longer time since cancer diagnosis, less aggressive tumors and younger age.