Extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma showing complete remission after treatment with cisplatin

Abstract

Extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma is a rare disease in women that arises from extraovarian peritoneum with müllerian potential. It shows histopathological findings identical to those of ovarian serous carcinoma. At diagnosis, this disease usually exhibits peritoneal carcinomatosis, but evidence of a primary site is lacking. We experienced a case of extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma in a 72-year-old woman who complained of abdominal distension and soon after developed bowel obstruction. Although we failed to perform any effective surgical procedure at laparotomy, because the cancer was extremely advanced, treatment with cisplatin resulted in rapid reduction of the tumor, and, finally, in its complete disappearance. Cisplatin was administered only three times, and the total dose was 300 mg. The patient is still alive and clinically free of recurrence 32 months after her first visit to our hospital. In this report we describe her clinical course, and discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, and the usefulness of tumor markers for monitoring it.