A 48-year-old woman with a 20-year history of untreated endometriosis presents with a solid-cystic ovarian mass. Histopathology of the excised adnexal mass shows hobnail cells lining tubulocystic structures with abundant clear cytoplasm. Which malignancy is this histology characteristic of?
- A Serous cystadenocarcinoma
- B Mucinous cystadenocarcinoma
- C Clear cell carcinoma ✓
- D Granulosa cell tumour
Correct answer: C. Clear cell carcinoma
Explanation
Endometriosis carries a modestly increased risk of malignant transformation, principally into ovarian clear cell carcinoma and endometrioid carcinoma, thought to arise through atypical endometriosis with oxidative stress and inflammation. Clear cell carcinoma shows tubulocystic and papillary patterns with hobnail cells and clear cytoplasm. Serous tumours show psammoma bodies and complex papillae, mucinous tumours goblet cells, and granulosa cell tumours Call-Exner bodies with coffee-bean nuclei, none matching this description.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.