OVARIAN ENDOMETRIOID ADENOCARCINOMA WITH ECTOPIC PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN

alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) is well known as a tumor marker of ovarian end odermal sinus tumor or embryonal carcinoma in gynecological malignanci es. However, AFP production is extremely rare in ovarian epithelial ca ncers. Here we report a case of a 53-year-old woman with an AFP-produc ing ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The serum AFP level was eleva ted up to 2759 ng/ml preoperatively, with a subsequent decrease to the normal range after treatment. Histological examination of the tumor r evealed a well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma with small f oci of clear cell components. None of endodermal sinus tumor, hepatoid carcinoma, or embryonal carcinoma components were observed. Immunohis tochemical analysis revealed that AFP was expressed in the cytoplasm o f the endometrioid glandular lesions, but not in the clear cell compon ents. This is probably the first case of a pure type of ovarian endome trioid adenocarcinoma with significant levels of AFP expression. (C) 1 998 Academic Press.