ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma

Lynch syndrome

A subset of women with uterine cancer exhibiting defective mismatch repair (MMR) proteins and microsatellite instability (MSI) may have Lynch syndrome, which also confers a risk for colorectal cancer and other cancers in the patient and in her family.

Screening algorithms based on clinical and pathologic criteria are effective in determining which patients with uterine cancer are most likely to benefit from definitive genetic testing for Lynch syndrome.

Ovarian cancer, particularly endometrioid adenocarcinoma, is also associated with Lynch syndrome, although the risk is much smaller than for uterine cancer.

The morphologic criteria used to screen patients with uterine cancer for further Lynch syndrome testing are not applicable in patients with ovarian cancer.

Although abnormal MMR/MSI did not carry prognostic value in one study, it did predict the involvement of the uterus by the tumor. (22189970)

Thus, in patients with ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma who undergo uterus-sparing surgery, abnormal MMR/MSI should prompt further diagnostic evaluation of the endometrium for tumor. (22189970)

See also

 ovarian carcinomas

• ovarian adenocarcinomas

References

 Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma: incidence and clinical significance of the morphologic and immunohistochemical markers of mismatch repair protein defects and tumor microsatellite instability. Aysal A, Karnezis A, Medhi I, Grenert JP, Zaloudek CJ, Rabban JT. Am J Surg Pathol. 2012 Feb;36(2):163-72. PMID: 22189970