Anaplastic Carcinoma Arising in an Ovarian Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma in a 17-Year-Old Female

Abstract 

Background

Anaplastic carcinoma arising within a mucinous ovarian neoplasm is rare, with only about 30 reported cases. Reported cases have given a broad age range, ranging from 17 to 72 years of age, but occurrence in adolescents is exceptional, with only a few cases reported.

Case

We report a case of anaplastic carcinoma arising in a mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in a 17-year-old female who presented with severe abdominal pain, an unusual symptom for an ovarian malignancy in the postmenopausal patient, but not in the adolescent. The patient had widespread metastases at the time of presentation, consistent with the aggressive behavior of this neoplasm.

Conclusions

This case illustrates that, although rare, epithelial ovarian malignancy is in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in an adolescent.

Key Words: Ovarian neoplasms, Mucinous neoplasms, Carcinoma