Recurrent Granulosa Cell Tumor in a Postmenopausal Woman: A Case Report and Literature Review

Cureus. 2023 Aug 12;15(8):e43368. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43368. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is among the most common types of cancer suffered by the female population. As of United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) 2019, the National Cancer Institute reports the prevalence of ovarian cancer as 11.4 cases per every 100,000 each year. The highest prevalence is in the seventh decade of life. Of all the types, sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) account for 5-8% of cases. They are a heterogeneous group of rare neoplasms originating from the ovarian matrix, and nearly 90% of the hormone-producing tumors are SCSTs. Hence, patients with SCSTs are known to present with excess estrogen and androgen signs and symptoms. Many SCSTs are known for their indolent course and tendency to affect the unilateral ovary. The prognosis of the malignancy depends on the subtype of SCST, the stage of the patient's disease, and age. Among all the types, 20-50% of the ovaries' granulosa cell tumors tend to recur decades after the initial presentation, and 70% of the recurrences end up with a very poor prognosis. This case will discuss a 68-year-old woman who presented with a recurrence of an adult granulosa cell tumor after 13 years in remission. The patient had been previously diagnosed with an adult granulosa cell tumor of the right ovary at age 55 and had undergone surgical resection along with chemotherapy.

Keywords: adult granulosa cell tumor; granulosa cell tumor chemotherapy; granulosa cell tumor recurrence; hyperestrogenism; ovarian cancer; ovarian cancer staging; sex cord stromal tumor.

Publication types

  • Case Reports