Abstract
Background : Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the ovary is rare, accounting for 0.4% of all ovarian carcinomas. We report a case of TCC and tumor features imprint cytology and ascitic cytology.
Case : A 58-year-old woman seen for an abdominal tumor having radiological findings suggesting malignant ovarian tumors underwent laparotomy. Imprint tumor cytology showed clusters with epithelial binding, in aggregated or sheet arrangements. Tumor cells had pale, abundant cytoplasm, round to oval nuclei with coarsely granular chromatin and small nucleoli, and marked anisokaryosis—features duplicated in ascitic fluid tumor cells.
Histological finding showed a thick undulating band of pseudostratified epithelial cells with interstitial infiltration and tumor necrosis. The gland-like arrangement, mucous-producing features, and squamous differentiation were indistinct. This ovarian tumor was finally diagnosed as ovarian TCC because no benign or borderline Brenner tumor component was observed.
Conclusion : In imprint and ascitic cytology, tumor cells with marked cell atypia showed aggregates or sheets and had abundant cytoplasm with small nuclei. Appropriately delineating cytologically diagnostic criteria remains a future task.
