POSSIBLE METAPLASTIC ORIGIN OF LYMPH-NODE METASTASES IN SEROUS OVARIAN TUMOR OF LOW MALIGNANT POTENTIAL (BORDERLINE SEROUS TUMOR)

A patient with a stage III serous ovarian carcinoma of low malignant p otential (borderline serous tumor) is described who had extensive invo lvement of the pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes by both borderline t umor and endosalpingiosis. Transition from endosalpingiosis to papilla ry serous borderline tumor was demonstrable in multiple intranodal sit es, and in fully developed lesions, areas of metaplastic growth acquir ed a desmoplastic stroma. This finding suggests that the lymph node '' metastases'' may have arisen de novo by neoplastic transformation of p reexistent metaplastic tubal-type epithelium (endosalpingiosis), and w ould lend further credence to the metaplastic (rather than metastatic) origin of extraovarian implants in serous ovarian carcinoma of low ma lignant potential. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.