Introduction:

Sertoli cell tumors are a rare entity with an incidence of ovarian cancer of 0,2-0,5 %. The initial diagnosis of this type of tumors is difficult to make due to the histological varieties and its differentiation.

Objective:

To demonstrate the value of immunochemical techniques in the completion of the diagnostic process of ovarian tumors aimed at identifying a rare variant such as Sertoli cell tumor.

Case presentation:

A 43-year old woman with a primitive Sertoli cell tumor of the ovary is presented. The patient had personal history of hypothyroidism. She underwent surgery at “Dr. Agostinho Neto” General Teaching Hospital because she had been diagnosed with a solid tumor of the right ovary. During the intraoperative period, a giant tumor with a malignant appearance was found. The pathological result reported a typical carcinoid tumor. The patient was referred to the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology where the immunohistochemistry of the biopsy reported a Sertoli cell tumor. Currently, the patient is asymptomatic.

Conclusions:

The accurate pathological diagnosis and the correct immunohistochemistry are very important for the management and treatment of this type of tumor.

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