Characteristics of Lynch syndrome associated ovarian cancer

Gynecol Oncol. 2018 Aug;150(2):324-330. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2018.03.060. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Abstract

Objective: To describe clinical characteristics of Lynch syndrome associated ovarian cancer and the efficacy of surveillance in the early detection of these ovarian cancers.

Methods: All Lynch syndrome associated ovarian cancer cases identified in either the Dutch Lynch syndrome registry (DLSR) between 1987 and 2016, and/or the cohort at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) between 1993 and 2016 were included. Clinical data on age at diagnosis, mutation type, histological type, FIGO stage, treatment, follow-up and gynecological surveillance were collected.

Results: A total of 46/798 (6%) women in the DLSR and 7/80 (9%) in the UMCG cohort were identified as LS associated ovarian cancer patients. The median age at ovarian cancer diagnosis was 46.0 years (range 20-75 years). The most frequently reported histological type was endometrioid adenocarcinoma (40%; n = 21) and serous carcinoma (36%; n = 19). Most tumors (87%; n = 46) were detected at an early stage (FIGO I/II). Forty-one of 53 (77%) patients were diagnosed with ovarian cancer before LS was diagnosed. In the other 12/53 (23%) women, ovarian cancer developed after starting annual gynecological surveillance for LS; three ovarian cancers were screen-detected in asymptomatic women. Overall survival was 83%.

Conclusion: Ovarian cancer in women with LS has a wide age-range of onset, is usually diagnosed at an early stage with predominantly endometrioid type histology and a good overall survival. The early stage at diagnosis could not be attributed to annual gynecological surveillance.

Keywords: Lynch syndrome; Ovarian cancer; Surveillance; Survival.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / epidemiology*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Netherlands / epidemiology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Registries