The Prevalence, Pattern, and Outcome of Ovarian Cancer Management in a Tertiary Hospital in Nnewi, South-East Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47363/JCRR/2025(7)235Keywords:
Chemotherapy, Epithelial-Type Tumours, Gynaecological Cancer, Mortality, Management OutcomeAbstract
Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the sixth most common malignancy among women worldwide and the eighth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In Nigeria, it is the second most prevalent gynaecological malignancy after cervical cancer. Early diagnosis remains challenging due to the absence of an effective screening tool and vague, non-specific symptoms that mimic benign gynaecological conditions.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features, and treatment modalities of patients with ovarian cancer managed at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of all histologically confirmed ovarian cancer cases managed at NAUTH between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, was conducted. Data were extracted using a structured proforma and included patient demographics, clinical presentation, histopathological findings, treatment modalities, and outcomes. Cases without histological diagnosis were excluded. Ethical approval was obtained from the NAUTH Ethics Committee. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 26.0 (Armonk, NY, USA).
Results: The prevalence of ovarian cancer was 2.0%. The mean age of patients was 57.6 ± 5.2 years, with majority (55.5%) in their sixth and seventh decades of life. The leading identifiable risk factors were age >50 years (70.4%) and obesity (40.7%), whereas only 13% reported a history of smoking. The predominant presenting complaint was weight loss (96.3%), and abdominal distension was the most common clinical feature (94.4%). The majority of patients (79.6%) were diagnosed at advanced stages, with epithelial ovarian cancer representing 96.3% of histological subtypes. Surgery combined with chemotherapy was the main treatment modality (79.6%), while the overall mortality rate was 38.9%.
Conclusion: Ovarian cancer remains a major cause of gynaecological morbidity and mortality in South-East Nigeria. Most patients presented at advanced stages with epithelial-type tumours. There is an urgent need for public health initiatives to promote awareness, early detection, and affordable screening strategies to improve patient survival.