Two Cases of Carcinosarcomas of the Ovary Involved in Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2017 Jan;36(1):64-70. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0000000000000290.

Abstract

Ovarian carcinosarcomas (OCS), also known as malignant mixed mesodermal/Müllerian tumors, are rare neoplasms (1%-4% of all malignant ovarian tumors) composed of high-grade malignant epithelial and mesenchymal elements. OCS occurs in older women. It is associated with a poor outcome and is usually not involved in inherited cancer syndromes. We present 2 cases of OCS; one arising in a patient with a pathogenetic BRCA1 mutation and the other in a woman affected by Lynch Syndrome (LS) carrying a MSH6 germline mutation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that this second type of case has been reported. In this study, we investigated somatic impairment of the wild-type BRCA1 and MSH6 alleles in the OCS of these 2 patients. We also explored in both OCS, the occurrence of TP53 loss of function, which is a genetic alteration known to occur in BRCA-linked ovarian tumorigenesis but not in LS tumors. Moreover, we also provide further data about the histogenesis of OCS.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • BRCA1 Protein / genetics*
  • Carcinosarcoma / diagnosis
  • Carcinosarcoma / genetics*
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / complications
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Counseling
  • Germ-Line Mutation
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / diagnosis
  • Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / genetics*
  • Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovary / pathology
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • BRCA1 Protein
  • BRCA1 protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • G-T mismatch-binding protein
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53