Histopathological analysis of the prevalence of spectrum of ovarian lesions in a tertiary care center: A retrospective study

Abstract

Introduction: Ovarian lesions can be categorized as non-neoplastic lesions, benign tumors, borderline tumors and malignant tumors. Among these benign tumors occur more commonly than others. Ovarian carcinoma, although less frequent than other malignancies, remains the deadliest gynecological cancer due to its late diagnosis and asymptomatic progression. Histopathological evaluation plays a crucial role in accurate classification and management of ovarian lesions.Aim: To assess the epidemiology and prevalence of spectrum of neoplastic and non-neoplastic ovarian lesions using histopathology.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective study was done on 47 ovarian specimens received in the Department of Pathology. The tissues obtained were formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were sectioned at 5 µm and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Each case was analyzed histopathologically and categorized based on tumor type, laterality, and patient age. Data were expressed in frequencies and percentages.Results: Among 47 cases, 17 (35.17%) were non-neoplastic lesions, 26 (55.31%) were benign, 2 (4.76%) borderline, and 2 (4.76%) malignant tumors. The age of patients ranged from 22–61 years, with the highest occurrence in the 41–50-year age group (30.04%). The lesions were more common on the left ovary (51.06%), followed by bilateral (29.78%) and right-sided (19.14%) involvement. The most common benign lesion was serous cystadenoma (38.29%), followed by simple serous cyst (17.02%). Among malignant lesions, low-grade serous carcinoma (4.25%) was predominant.Conclusion: Benign surface epithelial tumors constituted the majority of ovarian lesions, followed by borderline and malignant tumors. The most frequent histological subtype was benign serous cystadenoma, and low-grade serous carcinoma was the common malignant type. Ovarian lesions were most prevalent among women in the reproductive to perimenopausal age group. Histopathological examination remains the gold standard for definitive diagnosis, guiding prognosis and appropriate clinical management.