Ovarian disease in women with breast cancer Journal Article


Authors: Curtin, J. P.; Barakat, R. R.; Hoskins, W. J.
Article Title: Ovarian disease in women with breast cancer
Abstract: Objective: To correlate ovarian pathology findings with the indications for surgery, age, initial breast cancer stage, prior therapy for breast cancer, and current status of disease. Methods: We reviewed the charts of women with breast cancer who underwent oophorectomy at a single institution during the period 1987–1993. Two hundred thirty women were identified. The indications for oophorectomy were divided into three groups: 1) incidental, with no ovarian symptoms; 2) therapeutic oophorectomy for treatment of metastatic breast cancer; and 3) patients with adnexal or pelvic mass. Ovarian pathology was classified as benign, metastasis from breast primary, or primary ovarian or tubal malignancy. Results: Eighty-nine women underwent oophorectomy incidental to pelvic surgery; one patient had metastatic breast cancer present in the ovaries and three patients had a clinically unsuspected ovarian or tubal primary cancer. Twenty patients had bilateral oophorectomy as therapy for metastatic breast cancer, and five of 20 (25%) had metastatic breast cancer to the ovaries. One hundred twenty-one women with a preoperative diagnosis of adnexal or pelvic mass underwent oophorectomy (unilateral or bilateral). Sixty-one (50%) had a benign process. Sixty patients were found to have a malignant neoplasm, including 44 new ovarian or tubal primary cancers and 16 with metastatic mammary cancer. Conclusions: Patients who present with new findings of an adnexal or pelvic mass are more likely to have a new ovarian or tubal malignancy than metastatic breast cancer, by a ratio of 3:1. These patients require complete evaluation; one should not assume that the adnexal or pelvic mass represents metastatic disease from the breast primary cancer. © 1994 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Keywords: adult; controlled study; aged; retrospective studies; major clinical study; united states; ovarian neoplasms; breast cancer; ovariectomy; risk factors; pathology; breast neoplasms; ovary; registries; tamoxifen; neoplasms, second primary; middle age; ovary disease; human; female; priority journal; article; support, non-u.s. gov't
Journal Title: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume: 84
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0029-7844
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 1994-09-01
Start Page: 449
End Page: 452
Language: English
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 8058246
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 14 January 2019 -- Article -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. William Hoskins
    254 Hoskins
  2. Richard R Barakat
    629 Barakat
  3. John P Curtin
    112 Curtin