Ovarian tumours: a five years retrospective study at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern, presentation and management of patients with ovarian tumors.Retrospective study carried out from Sept. 1999 to August 2004. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics [Unit II] at Karachi Medical and Dental College and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi.Sixty three patients with Ovarian Carcinoma.The epidemiology, presentation and the outcome of manangenient was noted Out of the 63 patients seen during the study period, .fifty [79.36%] had benign and 13[20.63%] malignant ovarian tumours. Most [39-47.61%] women were <40 years of age and the majority[61.90%] of them were married. Ovarian malignancy was found more in patients who were unmarried and nulliparious. The common presenting complaints were abdominal pain [57.14%], GI upsets [47.61%] and an abdominal mass [31.74%]. Out of the 20 cases that presented with masses, 11 [55%] were solid and malignant looking. Thirty two [50.79%] patients underwent unilateral oophrectomy / tumerectomy, 22 [34.92%] total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy, 7 [11.11%] total abdominal hysterectomy with conservation of one ovary and one debulking, while in one case which was inoperable, only biopsies were taken.All the patients with ovarian tumours presented late with symptoms. This was either due to the lack of specific symptoms or delayed referral by the primary care centers. Proper evaluation and attention to minor symptoms like lower abdominal pain, GI upsets, symptoms of mass effect [urinary frequency, constipation, palpable mass, pelvic pressure] by the primary care clinicians can lead to early diagnosis