Extremely rare case of successful treatment of metastatic ovarian undifferentiated carcinoma with high-dose combination cytotoxic chemotherapy: A case report

BACKGROUND: Ovarian undifferentiated carcinomas are significantly rare and have an aggressive clinical course. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment in early-stage ovarian undifferentiated carcinomas that has a favorable prognosis. In case of recurrent and metastatic disease, palliative chemotherapy is the only available treatment. However, the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy regimen is not well-known, specifically in the case of extra-ovarian spread. We report an ovarian undifferentiated carcinoma of recurrent and inoperable advanced stage that was successfully treated with high-dose combination chemotherapy. CASE SUMMARY: A 52-year-old woman presented with a 1-mo history of right lower quadrant and epigastric pain. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen revealed a multicystic mass with extensive internal necrosis of the right ovary without evidence of metastatic disease. A total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and omentectomy was performed, but the surgery had a positive resection margin. Pathologically, it was diagnosed as ovarian undifferentiated carcinoma with sarcomatoid change. Although adjuvant chemotherapy was planned, it was delayed for 6 wk because of postoperative recovery, and the patient complained of abdominal pain. A CT scan and positron emission tomography-CT revealed a huge mass with multiple nodules in the pelvic cavity and para-aortic lymph node metastasis. Instead of standard therapy such as paclitaxel and platinum, combined chemotherapy with etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin was administered. The patient experienced no recurrence for 5 years. CONCLUSION: This is a case of metastatic ovarian undifferentiated carcinoma with sarcomatoid change that was successfully treated with high-dose combination cytotoxic chemotherapy.