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Diagnostic Accuracy of Intraoperative Frozen Section in Ovarian Neoplasms: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience

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Indian Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The clinical diagnosis of the nature of ovarian neoplasm is difficult. Invasive diagnostic techniques are contraindicated in ovarian neoplasm due to fear of tumor spillage and upstaging of the tumor. An intraoperative frozen section (FS) is a valuable diagnostic procedure to diagnose and determine the malignancy in ovarian tumors and thus guides the surgeon in tailoring surgical therapy, particularly in young women.

Aims and Objectives

This study aims to determine the various statistical parameters of frozen section to diagnose ovarian epithelial neoplasm based on tumor behavior and histological subtypes.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective study of intraoperative FS of ovarian neoplasm was conducted over a period of 5 years. The reports of FS and respective formalin-fixed paraffin sections (FFPS) were reviewed. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were determined separately for benign, borderline, and malignant epithelial tumors considering FFPS diagnosis as the gold standard.

Results

A total of 341 patients underwent a frozen section for ovarian masses. 68% of them were of epithelial origin. The overall accuracy of the FS to identify malignancy in ovarian neoplasm is 94.6%. The largest discordance in diagnosis was reported in mucinous borderline tumors.

Conclusion

With relevant clinical details, representative tumor sampling, and experience frozen section can be a simple and effective diagnostic tool to guide surgeons to choose the appropriate intraoperative management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, KS Hegde Medical Academy, Deralakatte, Mangalore, India

    K. Apoorva

  2. Department of Pathology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India

    Usha Amirtham, Akkamahadevi Patil & H. V. Raghavendra

  3. Department of Pathology, Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre and Homi Babha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Mohit Agrawal

  4. Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India

    V. R. Pallavi

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All named authors meet the criteria of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors for authorship for this manuscript, take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole and have given final approval for the version to be published.

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Correspondence to Mohit Agrawal.

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This article is a case report based on a retrospective analysis of medical records and did not involve any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Apoorva, K., Amirtham, U., Patil, A. et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of Intraoperative Frozen Section in Ovarian Neoplasms: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience. Indian J Gynecol Oncolog 21, 72 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40944-023-00740-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40944-023-00740-6

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