Ovarian Tumors

Abstract

There is a wide spectrum of ovarian lesions in infants and children and most are benign. The relative frequency of various types of ovarian neoplasms is impacted by age, with germ cell tumors predominating in children and epithelial tumors in adults. Management approaches, including surgery, must take into account differences between suspected benign and malignant processes and common pediatric and adult tumor types. In children, tumors typically present at a less advanced stage, and most have a favorable response to therapy. There are indicators of benign and malignant tumors based on preoperative imaging and biochemical markers. The surgical approach and need for staging are based on a careful preoperative assessment. Ultimate histological confirmation supplements the clinical assessment of disease status. Precise staging of malignancies is based on clinical examination, surgical exploration, tissue histology, and fluid cytology. The overall goals of surgery for malignant tumors are to evaluate the extent of disease, completely resect the tumor, and spare all uninvolved reproductive organs if feasible, as preservation of reproductive potential is a high priority.