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Krukenberg tumors are a type of ovarian cancer that originates in another part of the body and spreads to the ovaries. They are usually adenocarcinomas and have a poor prognosis. Treatment options depend on the primary site of the tumor and the patient’s condition.
A Krukenberg tumor is a type of ovarian cancer that starts in another area of the body and travels to the ovaries. Approximately 10-20% of ovarian cancers present as Krukenberg tumors, and the prognosis for patients with this type of tumor is not good. Since these tumors are secondary metastases, rather than primary tumors, identifying one means that a patient has an underlying primary cancer that may have spread to other areas of the body, which would complicate treatment considerably.
These tumors can arise from malignant cells in any area of the body that secrete mucin. The tumor is known as an adenocarcinoma, a reference to the fact that it originates in glandular tissue, and cancers of the breast and gastrointestinal tract are more likely to give rise to a Krukenberg tumor. Historically, people thought that cancer cells traveled through the abdomen to the site of the ovaries, but there is evidence that they can also be carried in blood or lymph.
When a Krukenberg tumor is examined by a pathologist, specialized cells known as signet ring cells appear. These cells are so full of mucin that the nucleus of the cell is pushed to one side and they vaguely resemble signet rings, hence the name. An alternative name for this type of tumor is signet ring cell carcinoma; such cancerous tumors can also be found in other areas of the body.
When a Krukenberg tumor is identified, the first step is to figure out where the cancer cells come from. This information is important when deciding on a course of treatment. In some cases, for example, surgery may be a good option to remove the tumor and other cancerous cells. In others, chemotherapy and radiation without surgery may be better options for trying to shrink the cancer or at least stop it from spreading in the body.
An oncologist can provide more specific information about a prognosis based on the primary site of the tumor, how far it has spread, and the patient’s condition. When evaluating treatment options, patients may also want to consider quality-of-life issues in addition to prognosis. For example, one patient may experience a few months of poor quality of life with a fair chance of recovery and relative comfort, which makes treatment worthwhile, while another may not have a very long prognosis and may be faced with lifelong quality of life. life problems caused by cancer treatment.
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