EPITHELIAL OVARIAN CANCER;

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES

Abstract

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common cancer of gynaecologic origin in Pakistani women. It ranks among
the ten most common cancers in our women. Despite being commonly encountered, information regarding the clinicopathological features is
lacking. Objective: To study the clinical and pathological features of epithelial ovarian cancer in our patients. Study Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Department of Medical Oncology, Jinnah Hospital Lahore. Period: Jan 01,2001 to Dec 31, 2002. Patients and methods: All patients
with histological or cytological diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer regardless of stage were included in the study. Information was obtained
from medical records which were reviewed thoroughly. Blood samples for analysis of BRCA mutations were sent to University of Toronto,
Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada. Results: 75 patients were accrued. Mean age of the patients was
47 years. The well defined risk factors such as nulliparity, lack of lactation, early menarche and late menopause were not present in the majority
of our patients. One striking feature was the number of patients with family history of cancer (18.7%). Majority were first degree relatives of the
patients and most had ovarian or breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 were seen in nine (12%) of the patients. Clinical presentation and histologic
features were similar to American and European patients, the only difference was that a large number (88%) of our patients presented with
advanced (stage III or IV) disease. Conclusions: Epithelial ovarian cancer manifests itself in a younger population of our women. Higher
frequency of positive family history was another striking feature of Pakistani patients.