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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

An Orthotopic Model of Serous Ovarian Cancer in Immunocompetent Mice for in vivo Tumor Imaging and Monitoring of Tumor Immune Responses
Published on: November 28, 2010
[Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig tumor: A tricky tumor]
Nicolas Brandone1, Claude Borrione2, Angélique Rome3
1Service d'anatomie et cytologie pathologiques, CHU la Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France.
Abstract:
We report the case of a 15 years old teenage girl presenting with a primary amenorrhea and hypervirilisation symptoms. The clinical assessement found a 16cm wide heterogenous ovarian mass testosteronemia and alpha-foeto protein levels were increased. On gross exam the tumor was solid and cystic, multilocular containing serous and mucinous liquids. Microscopically, there was a sertoli cells rich solid area in which the cells had a trabecular and nested organization with Leydig cells between them and there was also a cystic area made of glandular structures lined with an intestinal muco-secreting epithelium. Next to these area, there were Sertoli cells and an oedematous stroma. The immunostaining showed that the Sertoli cells expressed, among others, the inhibine and the glands expressed the cytokeratins 7 and 20. A Sertoli and Leydig cells tumor of intermediate differentiation with heterologous elements diagnostic was made. This is a rare tumor, representing less than 0.5% of ovary tumors. Well differentiated tumors are not frequent. In one third of the cases, there are hypervirilisation symptoms, the imaging exams will serve to narrow the diagnosis and to do a full work-up to establish an extension. There are several histologic sub types caracterised by the existence of retiforms structures or heterologous elements. There are no specific immunostainings, this will only help to narrow the diagnosis and rule out some hypothesis. There are no guidelines for the management of the patients, indeed each center has its own practices. Those tumors have quite a good prognosis thanks to their early diagnosis at a stade where they are still confined to the ovary.
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