Role of Histopathological Analysis in Diagnosing Steroid Cell Tumour: A Case Report

Abstract

Steroid cell tumour of the ovary is an extremely rare tumour. They are classified into three types with the commonest, the steroid cell tumour not otherwise specified (NOS) consisting approximately 60% of them. They occur mostly in middle age, are mostly benign and mostly cause virilising symptoms though a small proportion can present with oestrogenic effects. Diagnosis is based on presence of symptoms, presence of specific histopathological features with absence of certain histopathological features and positive specific immunostaining results. Here the author reports a case of a 42-year old woman with abdominal mass but without virilising symptoms but on whom a diagnosis of ovarian steroid cell tumour was reached by histopathological analysis which revealed presence of specific histopathological features with absence of certain histopathological features.