European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Case reportPsammomacarcinoma of the peritoneum
Introduction
Psammomacarcinoma is a rare histologic subtype of ovarian and peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma morphologically characterized by extensive psammomatous calcifications (“psammoma bodies”), invasiveness, and low-grade cytological features [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Based on a small number of reported cases, it seems that the clinical behavior of psammomacarcinoma more closely resembles that of serous borderline tumors rather than that of typical invasive papillary serous carcinomas, with a prolonged clinical course and relatively favorable prognosis [2], [4], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Peritoneal psammomacarcinoma is even rarer than ovarian psammomacarcinoma with only 10 cases previously documented in the English literature [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. We describe an additional case of peritoneal psammomacarcinoma and review pertinent literature.
Section snippets
Case report
A 67-year-old, nulligravid, married postmenopausal Sephardic Jewish woman was admitted in April 1999 because of a 7-month history of increasing abdominal pain and girth and progressive weakness. Menarche had occurred at age 13. Menses, until menopause at age 50, had been regular with a 28-day cycle and flow lasting 5 days. She had not received hormone replacement therapy and had not experienced postmenopausal bleeding. Her past medical history included obesity, diabetes mellitus and
Discussion
Psammomacarcinoma is a rare form of invasive papillary serous carcinoma associated with extensive psammoma body formation [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Psammoma bodies are calcified spherules (calcospherules), measuring 5–100 μm in diameter, with concentric laminations, thought to be secondary to accumulations of hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] in cells that undergo dystrophic calcification related to cellular degeneration [2], [7], [9]. A single layer of epithelial cells with
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