Objective: To study the presentation, histology type, stage of disease, treatment and outcome of epithelial ovarian malignancies in young women less than 30 years old.
Method: A total of 21 cases of epithelial ovarian malignancies in young women less than 30 years old between Jan 1986 and Mar 2002 were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: The median age at the time of diagnosis was 24 years (range 16-29 years). All carcinomas occurred after menarche. The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (50%), followed by tympanites (25%) and dysmenorrhea (19%), and the initial diagnosis was usually made based on physical examination, ultrasonography and serum CA(125). The mean maximal tumor diameter was 17.6 cm. Ten (67%) patients had stage I disease (5 Ia, 5 Ic), and 5 (33%) had stage III disease at the time of diagnosis; 43% were mucinous tumors, and 29% serous ones. Most tumors were well-differentiated ones classified as grade 1, 73%, others were grade 2, 13%, and grade 3, 13%. Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 93% (14/15) of patients in primary treatment and 83% (5/6) in recurrence treatment. Eight patients were treated with conservative surgery, and 18 patients with chemotherapy, of which 7 patients had more than six courses of chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 50 months (range, 2-192 months). Six patients died in this series, 2 were alive with tumor, 11 alive free of tumor, and two were lost in follow-up. The 3-year and 5-year survival rate was 89%, and 76%, respectively.
Conclusion: Young patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma appear to have favorable stage and histologic grade and good survival.