Reported is a case of a 43 year-old Gravida 3 Para 3 (3003) admitted due to progressive abdominal enlargement, weight loss and dyspnea. Admitting Impression was Ovarian New Growth, bilateral, malignant, with secondary Pleural Effusion. She underwent Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, with Bilateral Salpingooophorectomy, bilateral lymph node dissection, peritoneal fluid cytology, and infracolic omentectomy. Histopathology report showed a Malignant Mixed Mullerian Tumor of both ovaries with metastasis to the colorectal serosa. It is noteworthy that the patient has two siblings who succumbed to advanced stage ovarian cancer. This case report will discuss the possible hereditary genetic mutations involved in the development of familialovarian carcinoma.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome accounts for approximately 5% to 10% of breast or ovarian cancers, with which the high-penetrant BRCA1/2 genes have been associated. With the recent development of next-generation sequencing (NGS), germline mutation testing and its related medical and surgical management have been rapidly changing. In this review, we summarize the current status and perspectives of NGS testing for not only BRCA1/2 but also the other breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Genetic Testing* ; Germ-Line Mutation ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Ovarian Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The awareness of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and BRCA testing is increasing in Korea. Compared to the sizable research on HBOC knowledge among breast cancer women, studies in the ovarian cancer population are limited. This paper aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of hereditary ovarian cancer and anxiety in women diagnosed with serous ovarian cancer in Korea and determine differences in the knowledge and anxiety according to whether genetic testing was undertaken and whether BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations were present.METHODS: Using a descriptive research design, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on 100 women diagnosed with serous ovarian cancer at N hospital in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, from July to November 2018. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation coefficient using the SPSS 21.0 program.RESULTS: The hereditary ovarian cancer-related knowledge score was mid-level (mean score 8.90±3.29 out of a total of 17), as was the state anxiety level was mid-level (mean score 47.96±3.26 out of possible score range of 20–80). Genetic knowledge of hereditary ovarian cancer was associated with age, education, occupation, genetic counseling, and BRCA mutations. There were no statistically significant factors related to anxiety and there were no statistically significant correlations between knowledge level and anxiety.CONCLUSION: More comprehensive education on gene-related cancer is needed for ovarian cancer patients, especially for items with low knowledge scores. A genetic counseling protocol should be developed to allow more patients to alleviate their anxiety through genetic counseling.
Anxiety ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Genetic Testing ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea ; Occupations ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Research Design

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study is to assess the spectrum of genetic variation in the BRIP1 gene among Korean high-risk breast cancer patients who tested negative for the BRCA1/2 mutation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 235 Korean patientswith BRCA1/2 mutation-negative high-risk breast cancerwere screened for BRIP1 mutations. The entire BRIP1 gene was analyzed using fluorescent-conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis. In silico analysis of BRIP1 variants was performed using PolyPhen-2 and SIFT. RESULTS: A total of 20 sequence alterations including 12 exonic and eight intronic variantswere found. Among the 12 exonic variants, 10 were missense and two were silent mutations. No protein-truncating mutation was found among the tested patients. Among the 10 missense variants, four (p.L263F, p.L340F, p.L474P, and p.R848H) were predicted to be pathogenic by both PolyPhen-2 and SIFT, and these variants were found in five patients. Of the four missense variants, p.L263F, p.L474P, and p.R848H localize to regions between the helicase motifs, while p.L340F resides in an iron-sulfur domain of BRIP1. CONCLUSION: No protein-truncating mutation in BRIP1 was found among the tested patients. The contribution of BRIP1 variants is thought to be minor in Korean non-BRCA1/2 high-risk breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Computer Simulation ; Electrophoresis ; Exons ; Genetic Variation ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome ; Humans ; Introns ; Korea ; Silent Mutation

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to understand the levels of knowledge about hereditary breast cancer and anxiety among patients with breast cancer and to identify the relationship between knowledge and anxiety. METHODS: The data were collected from 100 patients with breast cancer in Seoul in 2013. A 15-item hereditary breast cancer knowledge questionnaire and 20-item anxiety state questionnaire were used to measure knowledge and anxiety, respectively. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, LSD post hoc tests, and Cronbach's α tests in SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: The mean score of knowledge was 8.34±3.17, indicating 0.56 when converted to 1. Knowledge was different by age, education, marital status, monthly family income, risk for hereditary breast cancer, and needs for genetic counseling. The mean score of anxiety was 46.05±10.53. There was positive correlation between knowledge and anxiety (r=.25, p=.014). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that oncology professionals need to provide genetic knowledge for early detection and prevention of secondary cancer to patients with breast cancer, while considering and relieving their emotional distress, such as anxiety.
Anxiety* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Education ; Genetic Counseling ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome ; Humans ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Marital Status ; Seoul

ovarian cancer ; ovarian neoplasms

Small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT), is a rare and aggressive type of ovarian cancer. It generally presents in younger patients, is diagnosed at an advanced stage, and is associated with a dismal prognosis. Due to its rarity and morphologic similarity to more common ovarian tumors, diagnosis may be a challenge. A high index of suspicion followed by appropriate immunohistochemistry stains performed by an expert pathologist is essential to diagnosis. Two cases of SCCOHT are presented: 21 years old with rapidly progressive Stage IIIA1i disease who underwent surgery and succumbed to the illness after 3 months before adjuvant treatment could be given, and a 49 years old with Stage IIIB disease with tumor progression who is on adjuvant chemotherapy and apparently well, 21 months after her first symptoms appeared. Related literature is presented and compared to the features of the index cases. Diagnosis and treatment options are also discussed briefly.
ovarian cancer ; ovarian neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: To compare gynecological cancer risk management between women with BRCA variants of unknown significance (VUS) to women with negative genetic testing METHODS: Ninety-nine patients whose BRCA genetic testing yielded VUS were matched with 99 control patients with definitive negative BRCA results at a single institution. Demographics and risk management decisions were obtained through chart review. Primary outcome was the rate of risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRBSO). Chi square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were performed, with significance of p<0.05. RESULTS: VUS patients were more likely to be non-Caucasian (p=0.000) and of Ashkenazi-Jewish descent (p=0.000). There was no difference in gynecologic oncology referrals or recommendations to screen or undergo risk-reducing surgery for VUS vs. negative patients. Ultimately, 44 patients (22%) underwent RRBSO, with no significant difference in surgical rate based on the presence of VUS. Ashkenazi-Jewish descent was associated with a 4.5 times increased risk of RRBSO (OR=4.489; 95% CI=1.484–13.579) and family history of ovarian cancer was associated with a 2.6 times risk of RRBSO (OR=2.641; 95% CI=1.107–6.299). CONCLUSION: In our institution, patients with VUS were surgically managed similarly to those with negative BRCA testing. The numbers of patients with VUS are likely to increase with the implementation of multi-gene panel testing. Our findings underscore the importance of genetic counseling and individualized screening and prevention strategies in the management of genetic testing results.
Demography ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Genetic Testing ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Referral and Consultation ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Management

Meigs' syndrome is defined by the presence of ascites and hydrothorax in association with an ovarian fibroma, which spontaneously resolve soon after the removal of the tumor. Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome refers to the same clinical features associated with other ovarian tumors; thecoma, granulosa cell tumor, Brenner tumor, struma ovarii, etc. Elevated serum CA 125 levels have a strong correlation with ovarian malignancy, but several benign ovarian tumors have been found to cause a rise in CA 125 levels. We present a case of Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome with an elevated CA 125 resulting from thecoma with a brief review of the literatures.
Ascites ; Brenner Tumor ; Female ; Fibroma ; Granulosa Cell Tumor ; Hydrothorax ; Meigs Syndrome ; Struma Ovarii ; Thecoma

breast cancer (CBC) and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) and investigated the predictive factors for CBC and IBTR in breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations and non-carriers at high-risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC).METHODS: We analyzed prospectively collected clinical data of patients with unilateral breast cancer who were at high-risk for HBOC and were tested for the BRCA mutation between 2003 and 2013.RESULTS: The cohort comprised 540 patients with 45 BRCA1 carriers, 50 BRCA2 carriers, and 445 non-carriers. The median follow-up was 84.5 months. Overall, 61 patients (11.3%) developed CBC (24.4% for BRCA1 carriers, 20% for BRCA2 carriers, and 9% for non-carriers). The 10-year cumulative risk for CBC was 23.8% for BRCA1 carriers, 19.1% for BRCA2 carriers, and 9.8% for non-carriers (p = 0.174). Among the 277 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery, 29 (10.5%) developed IBTR (9.1% for BRCA1 carriers, 16.7% for BRCA2 carriers, and 10.2% for non-carriers). The 10-year cumulative risk for IBTR for BRCA1 carriers, BRCA2 carriers, and non-carriers was 8.7%, 14.1%, and 20%, respectively (p = 0.577). BRCA1 (hazard ratio [HR], 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–7.20; p = 0.019) and BRCA2 (HR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.13–7.35; p = 0.027) mutations and negative estrogen receptor status (HR, 4.02; 95% CI, 1.60–10.08; p = 0.003) were the significant predictive factors for CBC, while tumor size ≥ 2 cm was predictive of IBTR (HR, 6.11; 95% CI, 2.03–18.33; p = 0.001).CONCLUSION: While BRCA1/2 mutation carriers had a higher risk of developing CBC compared to non-carriers at high-risk of HBOC, the risk of IBTR was similarly high across breast cancer patients irrespective of the BRCA mutation. Further preventive strategies to reduce CBC and IBTR for all patients at high-risk of HBOC should be investigated.]]>
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Cohort Studies ; Estrogens ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genes, BRCA1 ; Genes, BRCA2 ; Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Unilateral Breast Neoplasms