Histopathological Variants of Ovarian Tumors; A Study of 701 Cases from a Tertiary Care Medical Centre in Sindh

Abstract

Objective: To provide insight into the data of women presenting with ovarian malignancies and their various histopathological types in Sindh, the second most populated province of the country.

Methodology: Data on ovarian cancers were obtained from the pathology department of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences from January 2014 to December 2017. Histopathological subtypes were classified according to the latest WHO classification into epithelial tumors, germ cell tumors, stromal tumors, and others. Further classification was carried out based on histological types, laterality, and age.

Results: A total of 701 cases of ovarian tumors were sent to the Histopathology Department of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences during a four-year period from January 2014 to December 2017. The percentage distribution of all ovarian tumors was 542 (77.3%) for epithelial tumors, 129 (18.4%) for germ cell tumors, 25 (3.6%) for stromal tumors, and 5 (0.7%) for others. Out of the total cases, 609 (86.8%) were unilateral, while 92 (13.1%) involved both ovaries. In the age group ranging from 0-18 years, there were a total of 49 (7%) cases, including 43 benign and 6 malignant cases. In the 19-40 years’ age group, there were 503 (71.6%) ovarian tumors with 38 malignancies. The category of 41-60 years’ age group had 125 (17.8%) cases, including 83 benign ovarian tumors and 42 malignant tumors. There were 24 (3.4%) cases of ovarian tumors in the >60 years’ age group, including 7 malignant tumors.

Conclusion: This study provides data on ovarian tumors studied in a tertiary care medical university over a four-year period in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The analyzed data could be utilized by provincial and federal governments to devise health policies, and it could be helpful for various health-oriented non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in allocating their funds towards creating awareness, sensitizing the masses, and screening the population in order to decrease the mortality and improve overall prognosis in a country where health facilities are already scarce.