Mucinous Ovarian Tumors : Primary vs. Metastatic

Ovarian metastases from mucinous adenocarcinomas arising elsewhere can mimic primary ovarian mucinous neoplasms. The metastases usually originate from adenocarcinomas of the pancreatobiliary tract and the large intestine. Most of the ovarian mucinous tumors associated with pseudomyxoma peritonei are metastases from low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms. It must be remembered that primary ovarian mucinous in early stages are infrequently bilateral; therefore, bilaterality should also raise the suspicion of metastatic carcinoma.

The image shows cytologic atypia in a mucinous borderline tumor - intestinal type. The benign areas completely lacking cytologic atypia are predominantly on the left. The borderline areas with nuclear enlargement and hyperchromasia and prominent nucleoli are in the center and on the right.