Endocervical-like versus intestinal-type mucinous borderline ovarian tumors: a large retrospective series focusing on the clinicopathologic characteristics

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the clinical and pathologic features of patients with mucinous borderline tumor (MBT) of the ovary with special emphasis on the endocervical-like (EMBT) and intestinal-type (IMBT). METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients with MBT who were diagnosed and treated between 1995 and 2009 at a single institution. The records were analyzed for the patients' clinicopathologic information. The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of a total of 203 patients with MBT, there were 56 (27.6%) with EMBTs and 147 (72.4%) with IMBTs. Patients with EMBTs were significantly more asymptomatic (58.9%), had higher CA125 and CA19-9 levels, larger tumors (mean 17.3 cm), less frequent bilateral occurrence (5.4%), and less relation to endometriosis (1.4%), compared with those with IMBTs (all p < 0.05). During the median follow-up of 57.3 months (range 6-158), a total of 8 recurrences were identified: 6 were borderline and 2 were invasive lesion. With regard to the recurrence, EMBT and IMBT showed a 7-year recurrence-free survival rate of 97.1 and 92.1%, respectively, with no significant difference. CONCLUSION: EMBT and IMBT had different clinicopathological profiles, although the histologic distinction of MBT was not associated with the prognosis.