OVARIAN CANCER IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA: A 5-YEAR REVIEW

Ebiye Serena Tekenah, Peter Chibuzor Oriji*, Dennis Oju Allagoa, Lukman Obagah, Nnamdi Christopher Nwanze and Gordon Atemie

ABSTRACT

Background: Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynaecological malignancy in developing countries after cervical and endometrial cancers, with an incidence of 5 per 100,000 and a mortality rate of 3.1 per 100,000. The incidence is higher in whites than others. Blacks and Asians have the lowest incidence. Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of patients with ovarian cancer at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Materials and Method: This was a retrospective study. It involved all the patients with histologically confirmed cervical cancer managed at the gynaecological unit of the FMC, Yenagoa from 1st January, 2016 to 31st December, 2020. Information was extracted from the gynaecological records and entered into a predesigned proforma. Data were analysed using statistical software package and results were then presented in tables and frequencies. Results: There were 2,478 gynaecological patients managed, of which 20 had ovarian cancer. The prevalence of ovarian cancer was 0.8%. About 65% of the women were in the seventh and eighth decades of life. Serous cystadenocarcinoma was the most common histological subtype, found in 60% of cases, and 90% of the cases were diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease. About 45% were managed with surgery and chemotherapy. Six (30%) deaths were recorded in the period under review. Conclusion: There is a high number of patients presenting to our hospital with ovarian cancer, especially epithelial ovarian cancer. Contrary to previously held beliefs, more parous women were affected than nulliparous women.

Keywords: Ovarian cancer, Common, Malignancy, Mortality, Whites.