Ovary

Other carcinomas

Carcinosarcoma



Last author update: 1 December 2014
Last staff update: 27 October 2023

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PubMed Search: Carcinosarcoma ovary

Nalini Gupta, M.D.
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Cite this page: Gupta N. Carcinosarcoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/ovarytumormmt.html. Accessed March 19th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • Aggressive tumor with malignant epithelial and sarcomatous components
  • Most common in postmenopausal, low parity women
  • Very poor prognosis; stage is best predictor and most patients present at advanced stage
Terminology
  • Previously called malignant mixed mesodermal tumor, MMMT
Epidemiology
  • Mostly postmenopausal females, peaks in sixth decade
Sites
  • Uterus, cervix, fallopian tube (rare)
Pathophysiology
Clinical features
  • Abdominal mass, pain, vaginal bleeding
  • Risk factors include advanced age, excess estrogen exposure, nulliparity, prior pelvic irradiation, tamoxifen use (Lancet 2000;356:881)
Laboratory
Radiology description
  • Pelvic ultrasound and CT: heterogeneous pelvic mass containing solid parts with/without ascites
Case reports
Treatment
Gross description
  • Soft and fleshy mass, often with bleeding and necrosis
Gross images

Contributed by Mona Kandil, M.D., Ph.D. and AFIP

Ovary

Uterus

Omental deposit

Distended lumen

Fallopian tube

Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Malignant epithelial and sarcomatous elements
  • Sarcomatous element can be homologous (nonspecific malignant stroma) or heterologous (malignant elements of a different tissue type, particularly cartilage)
  • Often contains cytoplasmic hyaline droplets containing alpha-1-antitrypsin (Hum Pathol 1982;13:930)
  • Rarely trophoblastic tissue (Hum Pathol 1988;19:1235)
Microscopic (histologic) images

Contributed by Mona Kandil, M.D., Ph.D.

Malignant stroma

High grade malignant glands


Necrotic foci

High grade epithelial tumor cells and necrosis

High grade tumor cells with mitotic figures




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Rhabdomyosarcoma component

Positive stains
Negative stains
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