Co-occurrence of atypical endometriosis, subserous uterine leiomyomata, sactosalpinx, serous cystadenoma and bilateral hemorrhagic corpora lutea in a perimenopausal adipose patient taking tamoxifen (20 mg/day) for invasive lobular breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: For women taking tamoxifen, recent data strongly support the estrogen agonist role of tamoxifen as a causal factor for the increased risk of endometriosis, but also of leiomyomata, endometrial polyps, and endometrial hyperplasia. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old perimenopausal woman on tamoxifen (20 mg/day), gravida 0, with surgically treated invasive lobular breast cancer and extensive lobular carcinoma in situ (pT2 (m) pN0 (snl) pL0 G2 pTis (LCLIS) R0 M0 Ki-67 1%, ER+, PR+, Her-2-neu-negative) was referred for evaluation of a pelvic mass. The ultrasonographic examination showed a regular endometrium of less than 6 mm thickness, a uterine myoma (approximately 3 cm in diameter), a right-sided sactosalpinx (7.7 x 3.6 x 5.7 cm), an ovarian cyst on the right side (approximately 4 cm), and a left-sided ovarian cyst (approximately 3 cm in diameter) without any malignancy criteria. The CA-125 level was normal (9.4 U/ml). With the exception of a decreased serum progesterone level; the endocrine status showed no sign of ovarian insufficiency (LH 5.6 mIU/ml, FSH 9.0 mIU/ml, estradiol 103.7 pg/ml, progesterone 1.51 ng/ml, testosterone 0.11 ng/ml, DHEA-S 62.3 microg/dl, SHBG 64.39 nmol/l, free androgen index 0.6). During laparoscopy 2 uterine subserous leiomyomata, a right-sighted sactosalpinx, bilateral ovarian cysts, and an extended polypoid, vascularized endometriosis of the bladder peritoneum, the pelvic wall and Douglas pouch were found. Complete pelvic deperitonealization, bilateral adnexectomy, and also enucleation of the 2 leiomyomata were performed. RESULTS: Pathological examination confirmed the sactosalpinx. In the cystic ovary (right side), a serous cystadenoma close to a hemorrhagic corpus luteum (HCL) was diagnosed. The left ovary showed another HCL. The removed leiomyomata did not show atypia or significant mitotic activity. The endometriotic lesions presented strong expression of the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the proliferation marker MIB-1. In addition, there was no HER-2-neu expression. A switch to the aromatase inhibitor letrozol was recommended. CONCLUSION: The possibility of tamoxifen-induced or tamoxifen-driven endometriosis in peri- or postmenopausal patients with breast cancer should be considered.

Active and passive tobacco smoking and the risk of borderline and invasive ovarian cancer (United States).

OBJECTIVE: A population-based case-control study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that active and passive tobacco smoking were associated with the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: In-person interviews were obtained from 558 women with epithelial ovarian cancer (431 invasive, 127 borderline) and 607 population controls regarding active lifetime tobacco smoking, environmental tobacco smoke exposure in utero and during childhood, and other factors that may be related to the development of ovarian cancer. RESULTS: No significant associations of ever or former tobacco smoking with the risk of invasive or borderline ovarian cancer were found, although long-term ex-smokers of 20 years or more were at significantly reduced risk of invasive cancer. Significant, positive dose-response relations of the number of cigarettes smoked per day and pack-years with the odds ratios for borderline cancer were evident. No association of active tobacco smoking with risk was found by histologic subtype of invasive ovarian cancer. Smokers were at significantly increased risk for borderline serous cystadenoma (OR: 1.91; 95% confidence intervals, CI: 1.09-3.34), but not for borderline mucinous cystadenoma. When we limited the analyses to current smokers, age-started smoking was significantly inversely related to the risk of invasive, but not borderline ovarian cancer. We found no association of gestational or childhood environmental tobacco smoke exposure with the risk of invasive or borderline ovarian cancer among never smokers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not support an association of active tobacco smoking with the risk of invasive ovarian cancer. An increased risk of borderline serous cystadenoma among smokers must be viewed with caution.