Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Arising in a Mature Cystic Teratoma: A Rare OccurrenceMucinous Adenocarcinoma Arising in a Mature Cystic Teratoma: A Rare Occurrence

Abstract

Mature Cystic Teratomas (MCT) makeup almost 20% of all ovarian neoplasms. Emergence of a benign or malignant neoplasm with somatic type features is an uncommon event in MCT, occurring in approximately 2% of all cases. Malignancy associated with a MCT is rare and occurs in 1-2% cases. The most common malignancy associated with a MCT is a squamous cell carcinoma, which occurs in 75% of cases, while adenocarcinoma arising from MCT is rare, with an incidence of just 7%. This article presents a case of mucinous adenocarcinoma, arising in a MCT in a 39-year-old female patient who presented with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Following a diagnostic laparoscopy, which revealed one litre turbid ascitic fluid and evidence of a ruptured large left ovarian cyst, a provisional diagnosis of left ovarian tumour was made. Emergency laparotomy was performed and the specimen of left salpingo-ovariotomy, on histopathological examination revealed grossly a cystic ovarian mass with solid areas on the inner cyst wall. The microscopic picture showed a mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in a MCT.

Keywords

• malignant
• ovary
• transformation