Primary papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum:: Report of a case with diagnosis by fine needle aspiration and immunocytochemistry

Background Primary papillary serous carcinoma (PPSC) of the peritoneum is a rare neoplasm, histologically industinguishable from papillary serous carcinoma of the ovary, which diffusively involves the peritoneum but spares or minimally invades the ovaries. To the best of our knowledge, the preoperative diagnosis of this disorder have not been reported. Case A woman developed an extensive peritoneal neoplasm 4 years after hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomyfor benign disease. Fine needle aspiration of the tumor was peiformed, and the tytologic and immunocytochemical findings- were consistent with papillary serous carcinoma. A diagnosis of PPSC of the peritoneum was rendered because review of all slides fi-om previous surgical specimens showed no evidence of carcinoma and no otherprimary tumors werefound elsewhere. Conclusion Fine needle aspiration cytology coupled with immunocytochenlical and clinical data allows an unequivocal preoperative diagnosis ofjoapillary serous carcinoma (primary peritoneal or with an ovarian origin). The sole limitation to establish a primary peritoneal origin before surgery is the requirement to histologically study the ovaries. Based on tbisfact, the preoperativefine needle aspiration cytolog diagnosis ofPSCPshould be restricted to oophorectomized patients.