Search

Objective: Evaluate the diagnosis of cancer of the ovary over time and histological type as a function of outcome., Methods: Primary neoplasms of the ovary diagnosed at the Pathology Institute of Strasbourg between 1975 and 1984 were reassessed to determine the outcome as recorded in the Bas-Rhin Cancer Register., Results: Among the 845 primary neoplasms diagnosed, 318 were carcinomas. More than half of the cases (n = 162) were serous carcinomas followed by mucinous carcinoma (n = 60), endometrioid carcinoma (n = 53), clear-cell carcinoma (n = 13), and poorly differentiated carcinoma (n = 30). Diagnosis was consistent with time and independent of the pathologist. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of survival. Longest survival was observed in patients with mucinous and endometrioid carcinoma, intermediary survival in those with serous and clear-cell carcinoma, and shortest survival in those with poorly differentiated carcinoma., Conclusion: The histological type of ovary carcinoma, independent of the stage of invasion, is a reliable predictive factor.

Objective: to estimate the frequency, the age, the size, the bilaterality and the prognosis for "borderline" tumours according to the type of cell found. MATERIAL STUDIED: 132 low grade malignant tumours found in 845 primary ovarian carcinomas diagnosed between 1975 and 1984 in the Institute of Pathology in Strasbourg., Results: borderline serous carcinomas (63 cases) were 16.9% of cases were serous neoplasias. The mean age at which the diagnosis was made was 50.3 years of age, and the tumour measured 10 cm. They were bilateral in 20% of the cases and the mean age of survival was 134.7 months. The borderline mucinous carcinomas (68 cases) were 18.2% of mucinous neoplasias. The intestinal sub-variety was found at the mean age of 50 years and was 15.3 cm in diameter. It was rarely bilateral and in some cases was accompanied by peritoneal pseudomyxomatosis. The endocervical sub-variety (18 cases) was diagnosed at a mean age of 41.5 years with a mean size of 13.5 cm. It was rarely bilateral. The two varieties of borderline mucinous carcinomas had a mean survival rate of 154 months. Only one borderline endometrioid carcinoma was found among the 54 endometrioid carcinomas, and none had clear cells, Brenner cells or mixed cells., Conclusion: under the heading of "borderline" carcinoma are different types of tumour with different prognoses. Only serous mucinous varieties which are more frequent, have a low potential for becoming malignant. Endometrioid types and clear cell or Brenner types which have a similar architecture are usually found out to be benign.

The pathological study of all placentas from women smoking at least five cigarettes daily during pregnancy (248 cases) and of those placentas from a corresponding control group randomised among all the non-smokers (196 cases) has been set up at the maternity hospital of Haguenau (France) since 1974. The systematic histological examination has shown among smokers a higher frequency of abonormal trophoblast and especially of nuclear clumps in the syncytiotrophoblast. On the other hand, according to a standard protocol, the grouping of various abnormalities has shown, among smokers, a higher frequency of "signs of hypoxia". The lack of relationship between these "signs of hypoxia" and the well-known decreased birthweight among smokers suggests that smoking during pregnancy could always go with a decreased birthweight without a corresponding decreased placental weight, and seldom with an intra-uterine hypoxia. These two effects are independent.