Nuclear findings of ovarian surface epithelial tumors

While cytoplasmic features of ovarian surface epithelial tumors are well-kn own, the nuclear findings have received little attention. We reviewed impri nt cytology materials of the ovary which were collected at the Kawasaki Med ical School Hospital between January 1989-July 1999, and identified 15 muci nous cystadenomas, 3 borderline mucinous tumors, 4 mucinous cystadenocarcin omas, 4 serous cystadenomas, 4 borderline serous tumors, 7 serous cystadeno carcinomas, 6 endometrioid carcinomas, and 2 clear-cell adenocarcinomas. me microscopically observed nuclear findings of the 45 cases. Coffee-bean nuc lei were observed in 15.0%, 15.8%, and 10.1% of the tumor cells in mucinous adenomas, borderline mucinous tumors, and borderline serous tumors, respec tively. The frequencies of the coffee-bean nuclei in the three tumors were higher than in the remaining tumors (P < 0.001). Intranuclear cytoplasmic i nclusions were observed in 2.1% of the tumor cells in mucinous cystadenoma, and their frequency was significantly higher than that in cases of other s urface epithelial ovarian tumors (P < 0.001). Semilunar-shaped nuclei were seen in all cases of mucinous cystadenomas and borderline mucinous tumors, and in 3 of 4 mucinous adenocarcinomas, The remaining surface epithelial tu mors did not reveal the semilunar-shaped nuclei. In the cytology of the ova ry, the semilunar nuclei are characteristic of mucinous tumors, and the int ranuclear cytoplasmic inclusion may be a diagnostic dire to mucinous cystad enoma, when it is conspicuous. The coffee-bean nuclei can be seen in mucino us cystadenoma, borderline mucinous tumors, and borderline serous tumors. D iagn. Cytopathol. 2000;22:27-29 (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.