PRESENTING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Objective: To identify the presenting signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

Study Design: It was a descriptive cross section study.

Place and Duration of Study: This research was carried out in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi from January to June 2018.

Material and Methods: Using convenience sampling, all 33 patients who presented to Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department within study period, who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the first time were included. After taking written informed consent,  information collected included age, presenting sign and symptom, and basic and specific laboratory investigations and stages of cancer. The disease was staged from I to IV on the basis of staging laparotomy and the types of cancer were determined through histo-pathological studies.

Results: Mean age of all 33 patients was 54 ± 13.4 years. About 67 % of the patients belonged to the age group between 40 to 60 years. Most of the patients presented with abdominal pain (64%) followed by abdominal distension (23%) and urinary symptoms e.g.: (dysuria, frequency of micturition) (13%). Around 47% of patients were found with stage III of ovarian cancer.

Conclusion: The most common presenting complaint in patients with ovarian cancer was abdominal pain followed by abdominal distension and urinary complaints. Therefore, persistence of these symptoms in women should be investigated further.