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Malignant struma ovarii

Nature Clinical Practice Endocrinology & Metabolism volume 4, pages 469–472 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Background A 25-year-old woman presented to her gynecologist with pelvic pain. Pelvic ultrasonography showed a 9 cm left ovarian mass. The patient underwent left oophorectomy, omental biopsy, and lymph node sampling. The ovarian mass proved to be a struma ovarii with numerous microscopic foci of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The patient had no symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and her thyroid function and serum thyroglobulin levels were normal.

Investigations Investigations included a pelvic ultrasound scan, histological examination of the ovarian mass and omental nodules, and lymph node sampling.

Diagnosis Malignant struma ovarii.

Management The patient was referred to an endocrinology clinic for further investigations. Serum levels of TSH, thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibodies were measured. In addition, the patient underwent thyroid ultrasonography, which showed a 1 cm nodule that proved benign on biopsy. She was treated with thyroxine to reduce TSH secretion. Follow-up pelvic ultrasonography 1 year later showed no evidence of recurrent disease, and her serum thyroglobulin levels remained normal.

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Figure 1: Microscopic focus of papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular variant, within benign, unremarkable spindled ovarian stroma (hematoxylin and eosin [H & E] staining; magnification ×400).
Figure 2: Benign thyroid tissue (strumosis) present as nodular, circumscribed foci within the omentum (hematoxylin and eosin [H & E] staining; magnification ×100).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. L Yassa is an Assistant in Medicine at Newton Wellesley Hospital, Wellesley and at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,

    Leila Yassa

  2. P Sadow is an Assistant Pathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,

    Peter Sadow

  3. E Marqusee is an Associate Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,

    Ellen Marqusee

Authors
  1. Leila Yassa
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  2. Peter Sadow
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  3. Ellen Marqusee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen Marqusee.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Yassa, L., Sadow, P. & Marqusee, E. Malignant struma ovarii. Nat Rev Endocrinol 4, 469–472 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpendmet0887

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