Ovarian Malignancy in Childhood and Adolescence: A Review of 97 Cases of Malignant and Benign Masses

Park, J W; Lee, J K; Lee, Y H; Lee, N W; Kim, Y T; Suh, H S; Lee, K W

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We retrospectively evaluated the frequency, clinical presentation and histopathologic findings of ovarian malignancy in childhood and adolescence. The aim was to analyze the age-specific presentation, type and distribution of adnexal mass, and corresponding patient outcome in surgically evaluated children and adolescents.
METHODS
The medical records of all patients aged 20 years or less with adnexal mass seen at the Korea University Medical Center from 1988 through 1997 were reviewed. Only those individuals whose diagnosis was established by laparotomy were included.
RESULTS
In females 20 years of age and under, borderline or malignant ovarian neoplasms were identified in 14[14.4%] of 97 individuals with adnexal mass and in 14[17.7%] of 79 females with ovarian neoplasms. The frequency of ovarian malignancies correlated inversely with patient age. In the 11-15 age group, 28.6%[six of 21] had malignancies, as compared with 14.5%[eight of 55] in the 16-20 age group and 0% in the 0-10 age group. Germ cell, epithelial, and sex cord-stromal malignancies accounted for 64.3%, 21.4% and 14.3%, respectively, of the 14 cases.
CONCLUSION
The frequency with which ovarian neoplasms represents malignancy in this age group is 17.7%. Because of the potential for malignant ovarian neoplasms in young females, the presence of an abdominal-pelvic mass requires prompt and thorough attention.