Clear-Cell Tumours of the Ovary

Epidemiology:

• Clear-cell carcinoma:
• 5% of ovarian cancers
• 40-70y

Common sites:

Gross features:

• clear-cell carcinoma:
• 40% are bilateral

Histologic features:

• benign and borderline:
• almost all benign and borderline clear-cell tumours are adenofibromas
• glands and cysts
• flat cells, flat to low cuboidal hobnail cells, typical columnar hobnail cells, or clear cells
• clear-cell carcinoma:
• architectural patterns:
• diffuse
• tubulocystic
• papillary
1. complex
2. frequently contain hyalinized papillary cores
• trabecular, nests (infrequent)
1. oxyphilic cells
• cell types:
• clear (cam be found in almost all cases)
1. polyhedral
2. distinct cell membranes
3. abundant clear cytoplasm (glycogen and varying amounts of lipid)
4. eccentric nuclei
• hobnail (found in most cases)
1. prominent bulbous nuclei protruding into tubules and cysts
• flat
1. lining dilated cysts
• oxyphilic cells
• hyaline globules
• often admixed with endometrioid carcinoma
• tubules and cysts usually contain mucin

Immunophenotype:

Marker:

Sensitivity:

Specificity:

Molecular features:

Other features:

• sometimes occur in association with endometriosis or endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary