Metastatic ovarian carcinoma of large intestinal origin simulating primary ovarian carcinoma: a clinicopathological study

ABSTRACT

Ovarian metastasis from colorectal carcinoma frequently mimics primary ovarian carcinomas. The present study was performed to find possible histopathological criteria helpful in the differential diagnosis. Twelve cases of primary colonic adenocarcinoma with unilateral [5/12] and bilateral [7/12] ovarian metastasis were included. Also twelve cases of primary ovarian carcinoma of unilateral [7/12] and bilateral [5/12] were included. Both were evaluated clinicopathologically, ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically including CK7 and CK-20. Integration of clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical findings was very helpful while electron microscopy had little value in the determination of primary ovarian carcinoma from ovarian metastasis of colonic origin. Bilaterality, extrapelvic spread, high mitotic index, garland, segmental and dirty necrosis, positivity for CK-20 and lack of CK-7 immunoreactivity favoured the diagnosis of ovarian meta-stases from colon carcinoma