OVARIAN TUMOURS IN KANO: A FIVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL REVIEW (2001 – 2005)

Abstract

This five year histopathological review was carried out to determine the pattern, frequency
and age distribution of ovarian tumours received in the histopathology department of Aminu
Kano Teaching Hospital, (AKTH), Kano. This retrospective review included all benign and
malignant ovarian tumours received between 1st of January 2001 and 31st of December 2005.
Nine hundred and sixty eight female genital tract tumours were received in the period under
review and of these 199 (20.6%) cases were of ovarian origin. Of these 122 (61.3%) were
benign, 74 (37.2%) malignant and the remaining 3 (1.5%) cases were borderline tumours.
Laterality was documented in 130 of the tumours and of these 51 (39.2%), 48 (36.9%) and 31
(23.8%) were left-sided, right-sided and bilateral respectively. The benign tumours were
most frequent in the 3rd decade while the malignant tumours peaked in the 5th decade. Germ
cell tumours comprised 48.7% of the tumours, epithelial tumours 32.2% and sex-cord
stromal tumours 17.1%. Metastatic and other tumours including Burkitt’s lymphoma each
comprised 1% of the cases seen.
Mature cystic teratoma was the most common benign tumour (67.2%) and the most common
germ cell tumour (85%) while serous cytadenocarcinoma was the most common malignant
tumour (35.1%). Granulosa cell tumours were the most frequent sex-cord stromal tumour
(59%) while dysgerminoma and Burkitt’s lymphoma were the most common tumours seen in
children aged 10 years and below.