1. Cerebellar Metastasis From Ovarian Carcinoma Harboring PIK3CA-Activating Mutation
- Author
-
Gian Franco Zannoni, Angela Santoro, Giuseppe Angelico, Frediano Inzani, Giovanni Scambia, Angela Pettinato, Michele Valente, Alessia Piermattei, Simona Vatrano, and Filippo Fraggetta
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,endocrine system diseases ,Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Disease ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Ovarian carcinoma ,Vertigo ,Biomarkers, Tumor ,medicine ,Humans ,Cerebellar Neoplasms ,Neoplasm Staging ,Ovarian Neoplasms ,Chemotherapy ,biology ,business.industry ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,female genital diseases and pregnancy complications ,Serous fluid ,030104 developmental biology ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Mutation ,Adenocarcinoma ,Female ,Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ,business ,Ovarian cancer ,Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ,Brain metastasis - Abstract
Brain metastasis is a rare and generally late manifestation of an advanced-stage, high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Nowadays, the improved control of intra-abdominal disease by surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy results in a longer survival, allowing distant metastasis to implant and grow in the brain parenchyma. Herein, we describe a unique case of a cerebellar metastasis from clear cell ovarian carcinoma that initially presented as a FIGO Stage IC cancer. Surprisingly, 6 mo after surgery, the patient was in good condition with complete disappearance of symptoms and no evidence of recurrence. This relatively good biologic behavior may be explained by the presence of a PIK3CA-activating mutation in exon 9 which as previously reported in the literature, may be associated with better prognosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of cerebellar metastasis from ovarian clear cell carcinoma. In the presence of neurological symptoms, both clinicians and pathologists must be aware of this rare possibility, to assure correct patient management and effective therapeutic options. Generally, the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer patients with brain metastases is poor. PIK3CA mutations could be a good prognostic indicator in clear cell carcinomas.
- Published
- 2020