Objective: To examine the incidence, clinical presentation and characteristics of ovarian tumors in children and adolescents
Study design: Retrospective, descriptive study
Materials and methods: We retrospectively collected cases of ovarian tumors in patients < 19 years of age at Songklanagarind Hospital occuring between April 1989 and March 2001.
Results: There were 54 cases, or 4.7% of all ovarian tumors (1,140 cases). Fifty-three patients (98%) were nulliparous. The common presenting symptoms were abdominal mass (37%) and abdominal distension (35%). Seven patients (13%) had tumor related complications. Twenty-four patients (44%) had tumors between 6 and 15 cm in greatest diameter and the bilaterality rate was 5.6%. Of these 54 cases, 21 cases (38%) were benign and 33 cases (61%) were malignant. The most common was a germ cell tumor (65%). Conservative and radical surgery were performed in 78% and 22% of patients, respectively.
Conclusions: Ovarian tumors in children and adolescents were rare. Nearly two-thirds were malignant, and a germ cell tumor was the most common. Conservative surgery is the preferred treatment for patients to preserve fertility and endocrine function.