Clinical, pathological characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes of primary ovarian carcinoid tumors: a case series of 15 cases.

Background: The exact characteristics of primary ovarian carcinoid tumors remain largely unknown because of the rarity of the cases. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features, pathological characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes of patients with primary ovarian carcinoid tumors.

Methods: This retrospective case series included patients with primary ovarian carcinoid tumors diagnosed between January 2009 and December 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.

Results: Fifteen patients were included. They were 45.8 ± 2.7 years at diagnosis. Eight tumors were located in the left ovary, while seven were in the right. All patients were stage I. Microscopically, nine tumors were classified as strumal carcinoid, two as insular carcinoid, three as trabecular carcinoid, and one as mixed. Synaptophysin (Syn) was positive in 14 cases, chromogranin A (CgA) in 10, CD56 in eight, thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) in five, and thyroglobulin (TG) in six. Twelve patients had a Ki67 index ≤ 7%. All 15 patients underwent surgery, with eight retaining fertility. Among them, one patient underwent comprehensive staging surgery, four underwent lateral adnexectomy, and three underwent cyst stripping. Seven patients underwent total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy, including two patients undergoing comprehensive staging surgery. Three patients received intravenous chemotherapy. One patient was lost to follow-up. The remaining patients were followed up for 48-148 months; they were without recurrences and alive at the last follow-up.

Conclusions: Primary ovarian carcinoid tumors present with atypical symptoms and signs. Surgical intervention may be an optimal choice for treatment, leading to favorable prognostic outcomes.