Immunohistochemistry markers in diagnosing high-grade serous carcinoma of ovary with breast metastasis: a rare case report

Abstract

Ovarian cancer patients presenting with breast metastasis are a rare phenomenon. Very few cases have been documented so far in the literature and have shown that long-term prognosis of these patients is poor despite intense chemotherapy schedules. This report discusses a case of high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary with metastases to the right breast and axilla in a 49-year-old female as the first case in the authors' centre in South India. Additional immunohistochemistry markers were checked to confirm the diagnosis. The patient was on the third line of chemotherapy in December 2015. It is strongly emphasised that breast examination should be routine in all cases of ovary malignant tumours. IHC markers may differentiate between second primary versus metastatic secondaries in the breast. Further clinical trials using novel chemotherapy and systematic review of all case reports may help to form uniform consensus guidelines for these rare entities.