A retrospective study of 167 cases of ovarian tumors

Objective: Our purpose was to assess clinical particularities, diagnosis and therapeutic problems of ovarian tumors. Study design: a retrospective study of 156 patients having undergone an operation for ovarian tumor not suspected to be malignant between january 1991 and june 1998.The clinical, ultrasonographic and tumor marker data were analysed. Results: mean age of our patients was 34 years. 19 patients were menopausal. All ovarian masses were considered as benign at ultrasonographic scan. Serum CA125 level was mesured in 42 cases.It was abnormal in 2 cases. 102 patients underwent laparotomy. 54 patients underwent laparoscopy, of these, 19 were converted to laparotomy due to a suspect macroscopic diagnosis (2 cases)or to technical difficulties (13 cases). Histological findings were 150 benign ovarian tumors, 12 fonctional cysts and 5 malignant ovarian tumors. Therefore, preoperative assessment had failed diagnosis of cancer in 5 cases. Conclusion: the clinical, ultrasonographic and tumor markers triad remains the best preoperative approach currently available for ovarian tumors. However, the final diagnosis remains histological.