Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Carcinosarcoma in the pouch of Douglas

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Only one case of carcinosarcoma in the pouch of douglas has been reported in the English literature.

Case

The author herein reports a case of carcinosarcoma of the pouch of douglas. A rapidly growing tumor (10 cm in diameter) was found in the pelvic cavity of a 51-year-old woman, and an operation was performed for the clinical diagnosis of left ovarian malignancy. However, it was found that the tumor was located in the pouch of douglas, free of ovarian involvement. Because the tumor was impossible to resect totally, an incisional biopsy was performed. Histologically, the tumor showed a mixture of squamous cell carcinoma, atypical epithelial cells occasionally forming tubules, myxomatous spindle cell sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. The tumor showed abundnat vessels, hemorrhage and necrosis. Immunohistochemically, the squamous cell carcinoma and atypical epithelium components were positive for cytokeratins, CEA, CA125, and p53 protein. The spindle cell sarcoma and chondrosarcoma components were positive for vimentin and p53 protein. The overall Ki-67 labeling was 30%. The author diagnosed the present case as carcinosarcoma of heterologous type.

Conclusion

The present case shows that carcinosarcoma can occur in the pouch of douglas. It may arise from misplaced Mullerian duct remnants in the pouch of douglas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  1. McCluggage WG, Haller U, Kurman RJ, Kubik-Huch RA (2003) Mixed epithelial and mesenchymal tumours. In: Tavassoli FA, Devilee P (eds) WHO classification of tumours. Pathology and genetics. Tumours of the breast and female genital organs. IARA Press, Lyon, pp 245–249

    Google Scholar 

  2. Rosai J (2004) Malignant mixed Mullerian tumor (carcinosarcoma). In: Rosai J (ed) Rosai and Ackerman’s pathology, 9th edn. Mosby, pp 1599–1601

  3. Mikami M, Kuwabara Y, Tanaka K, Komiyama S, Ishikawa M, Hirose T (2005) Malignant mixed Mullerian tumor of primary mesenteric origin. Int J Gynecol Cancer 15:1249–1253. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1438.2005.00192.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cokelaere K, Michielson P, De Vos R, Sciot R (2001) Primary mesenteric malignant mesodermal (Mullerian) tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation. Mod Pathol 14:515–520. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3880340

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ma CJ, Yang SF, Huang CC, Chai CY, Cheng KI, Tsai EM, Wang JY (2008) Malignant mixed Mullerian tumor of primary mesenteric origin associated with a synchronous ovarian cancer: case report and literature review. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 29:289–293

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Dardick I, Barr JR, Watters JM (1989) Intra-abdominal metastatic malignant teratoma: metastatic malignant teratoma (carcinosarcoma), primary in the retroperitoneum. Ultrastruct Pathol 13:291–300. doi:10.3109/01913128909057447

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Shintaku M, Matsumoto T (2001) Primary Mullerian carcinosarcoma of the retroperitoneum: report of a case. Int J Gynecol Pathol 20:191–195. doi:10.1097/00004347-200104000-00013

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kataoka TR, Shinoda H, Yamagawa M, Kamiura S, Nishizawa Y, Hongyo T (2008) Heterologous carcinosarcoma of Douglas’ pouch with adenocarcinomas of the fallopian tube and the peritoneal cavity. Pathology 40:641–645. doi:10.1080/00313020802320721

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Terada T, Kawagichi M, Furukawa K, Sekido Y, Osamura Y (2002) Minute mixed ductal-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas with predominant intraductal growth. Pathol Int 52:740–746. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1827.2002.01416.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Terada T, Kawagichi M (2005) Primary clear cell adenocarcinoma of the peritoneum. Tohoku J Exp Med 206:271–275. doi:10.1620/tjem.206.271

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tadashi Terada.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Terada, T. Carcinosarcoma in the pouch of Douglas. Arch Gynecol Obstet 281, 345–348 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1132-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1132-y

Keywords

Navigation