Abstract

A total of 36 typical Krukenberg tumors of the ovary was obtained from the pathology file of the Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University during a period of 17 years from January 1968 to December 1984. By definition, all were characterized by the presence of mucin containg signet ring cells within the cellular, nonneoplastic ovarian stroma. The clinico-pathologic characteristics of 36 Krukenberg tumors were as follow: The Krukenberg tumors accounted for 16.3% of all ovarian malignancies. The age of the patient at the time of diagnosis of the Krukenberg tumor ranged from 28 to 69 years with an average of 43 years. A primary carcinoma of stomach (31 cases) of colon (1 case) was found in 32 (88.9%) of 36 patients. The primary carcinomas was not detected in four cases, and autopsy was not performed in any case. In 22 cases the primary carcinomas had been diagnosed before ovarian tumors were found. The ovarian and the primary carcinomas were identified synchronously in 6 cases, while in 8 cases the primary carcinomas were not discovered until after the ovarian tumors had been treated. The gross diameter of the ovarian tumor ranged from 1.5cm to 28cm with an average of 10.3cm. The largest weighed 4,550gm. The Krukenberg tumors typically formed rounded or reniform, solid mass that were coarsely lobulated or bosselated. The cut surface was yellow white and associated frequently with nodular, myxoid or gelatinous area and cystic changes of various size. Both ovaries were involved in 29(80.6%) of the cases and one ovary in 7(19.4%). Krukenberg tumors classified into the three major types on the basis of the characteristic morphologic patterns of signet ring cells. The first type was classic Krukenberg tumor(28 cases) represented by predominent components of typical signet ring cells. The second type was tubular Krukenberg tumor(5 cases) characterized by tubular structures resembling a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor. The third type was re tiform Krukenberg tumor (3 cases) characterized by an irregular network of elongated, often slitlike tubules and cysts, which resembled the rete testis.