Ovarian cancer in a tertiary care hospital in south-south nigeria: a 10 year histopathological review

Introduction: Ovarian cancer has one of the highest mortality rates among the cancers of the female genital tract. Aim: To ascertain the relative frequency, histological types, age distribution of ovarian cancer seen in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between January 1998 and December 2007 and to compare the results with local and international studies. Methodology: A retrospective study based on surgical biopsies from histopathologically proven cases of ovarian neoplasms seen at the hospital. Clinical information and bio-data were obtained from request forms. All the slides of ovarian tumours were reviewed. Results were analyzed using simple descriptive statistical methods. Results: A total of 166 ovarian neoplasms were seen over the 10 year period, out of which 38 (22.9%) were malignant. Ovarian cancer was highest between 51- 60 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 45.8 years. Surface epithelial ovarian cancers were the most common group (71.1%), followed by germ cell and sex cord-stromal tumours, 13.2% each. Overall, Serous cystadenocarcinoma was the most common subtype (36.8%) followed by mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (31.6%). Conclusion: Malignant ovarian tumours are far less common than their benign counterparts with surface epithelial malignancies being more common than germ cell cancers of the ovary in our locale.