[Small cell carcinoma of the ovary. A clinical and anatomo-pathologic entity]

Small cell carcinoma of the ovary is a rare histological form which is highly malignant. We have decided to consider this as an epithelial tumour after studying it with the optical and the electron microscope. It is however difficult to put it in to a definite type because it is highly undifferentiated. On the clinical level small cell carcinoma is different from other ovarian cancers in several respects. Whereas ovarian tumours usually tend to occur in menopausal women in the fifth or sixth decade of life, small cell carcinomas of the ovary occur mainly in younger women of ages between 10 and 38 years. Furthermore, women who are attacked by this kind of a carcinoma tend to die very soon after the diagnosis has been made without receiving any benefit from the many therapies that have been tried to improve the prognosis. We have studied the condition after seeing two cases of small cell carcinoma in the University Gynaecological Department of Tours, and we have made a study of the literature. We have studied the therapeutic angle for these tumours and we have tried to find out what the best technique will be to cope with this awful prognosis. We discuss whether it might be worthwhile in future to intensify therapy in combination with bone marrow autotransplantation.