Oocyte accumulation for fertility preservation in women with benign ovarian tumours with a history of previous surgery, multiple or large cysts.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are ovarian stimulation cycle outcomes and acceptance rates of an oocyte accumulation programme in young women with benign ovarian tumour (BOT)? DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study conducted at the Academic Assisted Reproductive Technology and Fertility Preservation Centre, Lille University Hospital, between January 2016 and December 2019. The number of metaphase II oocytes per cycle and per patient after accumulation were evaluated. Two groups were identified for the analysis: endometrioma ('endometrioma') and dermoid, mucinous or serous cyst ('other cysts'). RESULTS: A total of 113 fertility-preservation cycles were analysed in 70 women aged 27.9 ± 4.8 years. Almost all women had undergone previous ovarian surgery before fertility preservation (89%). Mean anti-Müllerian hormone levels before ovarian stimulation was 12.5 ± 8.7 pmol/l. A total of 6.4 ± 3.4 oocytes were retrieved, and 4.3 ± 3.4 metaphase II (MII) oocytes were vitrified per cycle. All agreed to the oocyte accumulation programme and all underwent at least one cycle. To date, 36 (51%) patients achieved two or three fertility- preservation cycles. After accumulation, 7.0 ± 5.23 MII oocytes were vitrified per patient. No difference was found in ovarian response and oocyte cohort between the 'endometrioma' and 'other cysts' groups. Questionnaires completed after oocyte retrieval revealed abdominal bloating and pelvic pain in most patients, with no difference according to the type of cyst. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Oocyte accumulation should be systematically offered to young women with BOT irrespective of histological type, as it seems to be well-tolerated. Long-term follow-up is needed to assess the efficiency of oocyte accumulation to optimize the chances of subsequent pregnancies.

Mucinous Neoplasms of the Ovary: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation.

Mucinous neoplasms of the ovary account for 10%-15% of ovarian neoplasms. They may be benign, borderline, or malignant. The large majority are benign or borderline, accounting for 80% and 16%-17%, respectively. Mucinous neoplasms of the ovary most commonly affect women in their 20s to 40s. The clinical manifestation is nonspecific, but most mucinous ovarian neoplasms manifest as large unilateral pelvic masses. At gross pathologic analysis, mucinous ovarian neoplasms appear as large multiloculated cystic masses. The contents of the cyst loculi vary on the basis of differences in internal mucin content. At histologic analysis, mucinous ovarian neoplasms are composed of multiple cysts lined by mucinous epithelium, often resembling gastrointestinal-type epithelium. Imaging evaluation most commonly includes US and/or MRI. The imaging findings parallel the gross pathologic features and include a large, unilateral, multiloculated cystic mass. The cyst loculi vary in echogenicity, attenuation, and signal intensity depending on the mucin content. Mucinous neoplasms of the ovary are staged surgically using the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) staging system. Primary treatment is surgical, with adjuvant chemotherapy considered in the uncommon case of mucinous carcinoma with extraovarian disease. Since most mucinous ovarian neoplasms are benign or borderline, the overall prognosis is excellent.

Ovarian mucinous cystadenoma coexisting with benign Brenner tumor: MR imaging findings.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the MR imaging findings of ovarian mucinous cystadenomas coexisting with benign Brenner tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images with a 1.5-T unit obtained in five consecutive patients (age range, 51-72 years; mean age, 61 years) with surgically confirmed ovarian mucinous cystadenomas coexisting with benign Brenner tumors were retrospectively reviewed for the presence, configuration, and signal intensity of cystic and solid components of the lesions. RESULTS: Tumors ranged in size from 7.5 to 22.1 cm (mean, 13.5 cm). In four patients (80%), the size of mucinous cystadenoma (range 6.4-22.1 cm; mean, 12.5 cm) was larger than that of Brenner tumor (range 0.2-9.1 cm; mean, 2.8 cm). All patients (100%) had cystic, and three (60%) had solid components. Four patients (80%) showed multilocular cystic, and one (20%) showed unilocular cystic appearance. MR imaging findings were classified into three patterns: (1) a bulky solid mass adjacent to the cystic component, (2) a mural nodule at the periphery of the cystic component, and (3) a cystic component without a detectable solid component. All four multilocular cystic areas exhibited "stained glass" appearances on both T1- and T2-weighted images, and all three solid areas showed homogeneous hypointensity on T2-weighted images. CONCLUSION: Mucinous cystadenomas were often larger than the coexisting benign Brenner tumors. Mucinous cystadenomas coexisting with benign Brenner tumors should be considered when multilocular or unilocular cystic components are accompanied by homogeneously hypointense solid components on T2-weighted images.

Appendiceal tumors in patients undergoing primary surgery for mucinous ovarian tumors in a tertiary hospital, in Southern Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of appendiceal tumors in patients diagnosed with mucinous ovarian tumors and to determine factors associated with coexisting appendiceal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of all patients who were diagnosed with mucinous ovarian tumors and underwent an appendectomy during surgery between January 2002 and June 2017 was performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for coexisting appendiceal tumors. RESULTS: A total of 303 patients with mucinous ovarian tumors who underwent appendectomy were identified, including 77 (25.4%) mucinous cystadenoma and 226 (74.6%) mucinous borderline tumor or carcinoma. Twenty-one (6.9%) had coexisting appendiceal tumors including 8 that were primary appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinomas, 6 low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms, 6 secondary appendiceal metastasis from the ovary, and one hyperplastic polyp. None of mucinous cystadenoma had coexisting appendiceal tumors. Multivariate analysis revealed advanced age ≥50 years, previous rupture of ovarian tumors, abdominal extension of tumors, and grossly abnormal appendix were independent factors for coexisting appendiceal tumors. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of coexisting appendiceal tumors in mucinous ovarian tumors was not uncommon. The risk factors were grossly abnormal appendix, abdominal extension of tumor, previous rupture of ovarian tumors, and advanced age.

[Giant ovarian cyst and pregnancy. Case report and literature review]. / Quiste gigante de ovario y embarazo. Reporte de un caso y revisión de la bibliografía.

Ovarian tumors represent approximately 30% of genital tumors, being the most frequent the germ and the epithelial tumors. During pregnancy the incidence of ovarian cysts is less than 5%, and they are almost always benign. Giant cysts have a frequency of less than 1%. A giant cyst in a primigravida 20 years, 15 weeks pregnant and the evolution of the same case is reported.

Risk of malignancy in sonographically confirmed septated cystic ovarian tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of malignancy in septated cystic ovarian tumors. MATERIALS: 1319 (4.4%) of 29,829 women were identified by transvaginal sonography (TVS) as having a complex cystic ovarian tumor with septations without solid areas or papillary projections and were placed on long-term ultrasound surveillance for ovarian malignancy. RESULTS: These 1319 patients had a total of 2870 septated cystic ovarian tumors. 2288 tumors (79.7%) had a septal width <2 mm and 582 (20.3%) had a septal width >or=2 mm. 2286 tumors (79.6%) were <5 cm in diameter and 584 (20.4%) were>or=5 cm in diameter. 1114 septated cystic tumors (38.8%) resolved spontaneously (mean duration to resolution-12 months) and 1756 (61.2%) tumors persisted. 128 patients underwent surgical tumor removal within 3 months of ultrasound. Most common histopathology was: serous cystadenoma (75), mucinous cystadenoma (13), and endometrioma (10). One patient had an ovarian tumor of borderline malignancy (Stage IB). There were no cases of ovarian cancer. Patients were followed from 4 to 252 months (mean-77 months). One patient developed papillary morphology in the contralateral ovary 3.2 years after detection of a septated ovarian cyst and had epithelial ovarian cancer in that ovary and in the omentum (Stage IIIC disease). The remaining patients are all free of ovarian neoplasia after a total of 7642 follow-up years. CONCLUSIONS: Septated cystic ovarian tumors without solid areas or papillary projections have a low risk of malignancy and can be followed sonographically without surgery.

Epidemiology, clinical features and diagnostic work-up of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas: Interim analysis of the prospective PANCY survey.

INTRODUCTION: A prospective survey to evaluate the diagnostic workup of cystic pancreatic neoplasms (CPNs) according to the Italian guidelines. METHODS: An online data sheet was built. RESULTS: Fifteen of the 1385 patients (1.1%) had non cystic neoplastic lesions. Forty percent (518/1295) had at least one 1st degree relative affected by a solid tumor of the digestive and extra-digestive organs. Symptoms/signs associated with the cystic lesion were present in 24.5% of the patients. The cysts were localized in the head of the pancreas in 38.5% of patients. Of the 2370 examinations (1.7 examinations per patient) which were carried out for the diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging was performed as a single test in 48.4% of patients and in combination with endoscopic ultrasound in 27% of the cases. Of the 1370 patients having CPNs, 89.9% had an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) (70.1% a branch duct IPMN, 6.2% a mixed type IPMN and 4.6% a main duct IPMN), 12.7% had a serous cystadenoma, 2.8% a mucinous cystadenoma, 1.5% a non-functioning cystic neuroendocrine neoplasm, 0.7% a solid-pseudopapillary cystic neoplasm, 0.3% a cystic adenocarcinoma, and 1.2% an undetermined cystic neoplasm. Seventy-eight (5.7%) patients were operated upon after the initial work-up. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study offers a reliable real-life picture of the diagnostic work-up CPN.

[Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor: diagnostic and therapeutic approach]. / Tumor papilar, mucinoso e intraductal: abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico.

Primary cystic pancreatic neoplasms are rare tumors, with an approximate prevalence of 10% of cystic pancreatic lesions. Most of these lesions correspond to mucinous cystic neoplasm, serous cystoadenoma and intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT). IPMT is characterized by diffuse dilatation of the main pancreatic duct and/or side branches with inner defects related to mucin or tumor, or mucin extrusion from a patent ampulla. IPMT has a low potential for malignancy, with a low growth rate, a low rate of metastatic spread and postsurgical recurrence. Over the last few years, major advances have been made in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of this tumor.

[Endometrial and ovarian tumours and their association with obesity]. / Tumoren van endometrium en ovarium en de samenhang met obesitas.

A 53-year-old woman was wheelchair-dependent and unable to work due to an extreme increase in abdominal circumference. Closer investigation revealed an ovarian tumour. A mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary weighing more than 20 kg was removed with laparotomy. A 63-year-old woman presented with postmenopausal haemorrhage. Morbid obesity and agoraphobia had prevented her from visiting a doctor earlier. She was eventually diagnosed with stage 1C grade III endometrial carcinoma, which was treated with surgery and vaginal brachytherapy. The incidence of gynaecological tumours is increased in patients with a high BMI. This association is stronger for endometrial carcinoma than for ovarian carcinoma. Obesity has a favourable influence on the histological grade of endometrial carcinoma, and is associated with lower-stage ovarian cancer. Surgery-related complications are more common in obese patients. Determining the optimal dose of adjuvant therapy is also problematic in obese patients.

Primary Retroperitoneal Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm: Authors' Experience and Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystic neoplasm (PRMCN) is a rare retroperitoneal tumor with female predilection. It is classified into 3 types: benign mucinous cystadenoma (MCA), borderline mucinous cystadenoma (MCAb), malignant mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (MCAc). This study retrospectively evaluates the prevalence of PRMCN among retroperitoneal neoplasms resected between June 2006 and January 2015 at a referral center. Authors' experience with PRMCN is reviewed, and a new case of PRMCN, incidentally diagnosed during pregnancy is reported. A literature review using PubMed is also presented, discussing several issues concerning clinicopathologic features, treatment options, and long-term outcome of PRMCN. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman was incidentally diagnosed with a 12-cm retroperitoneal cyst discovered by ultrasound at 36 weeks of gestation. Eight months later the patient was referred to the department of surgery, the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. By that time, the patient has sensed local discomfort. Physical examination revealed a right abdomen mass with mild tenderness. Computed tomographic scan depicted the cyst, located along the right paracolic gutter, displacing the right colon medially. The patient underwent complete laparoscopic resection of a 15-cm cyst, without its disruption. The cyst was drained inside an endobag and retrieved. The patient was discharged home on postoperative day 1. The pathology was MCA. Long-term result was no evidence of disease for 9 months. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of PRMCN among resected retroperitoneal neoplasms was 1.95% (3/154 neoplasms). The treatment of choice is complete tumor resection. Surgical technique should be chosen depending on the surgeon's expertise and tumor factors affecting safe resection. Surgery timing during pregnancy should be dictated by both risk of malignancy and obstetric considerations. As for malignant PRMCN, radical surgery does not seem justified, especially in reproductive females. Adjuvant chemotherapy should probably be reserved for metastatic disease, recurrence, and tumor rupture. Long-term follow-up is lacking, although it is important to better define the prognosis of PRMCN.

The increasing problem of unusual pancreatic tumors.

HYPOTHESIS: Patients presenting with a pancreatic mass often have a curable lesion rather than the more common adenocarcinoma. Greater awareness of this among nonsurgeons is necessary. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Tertiary care referral hospital. PATIENTS: All patients who presented with a pancreatic mass during the 8 years from 1990 to 1998 were studied. Patients with a history of chronic pancreatitis, a functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, or pancreatic adenocarcinoma were excluded. Forty patients were identified, demographic and clinical characteristics recorded, and long-term follow-up obtained. INTERVENTIONS: Therapy included either a Whipple procedure or distal pancreatectomy. Two patients underwent a biliary bypass. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tumor histology, morbidity, and survival. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-six patients with a pancreatic mass were treated during this 8-year period. Two hundred ninety-six of these had pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Forty (11.9%) of the 336 patients had other types of pancreatic tumors. Two thirds of these patients were female, with an average age of 57 years. Seventy-five percent of these tumors were either malignant or potentially malignant. In several instances, cystic tumors were diagnosed as inflammatory pseudocysts and managed accordingly. Fourteen (35%) of 40 patients had no symptoms and their tumor was found on a computed tomographic scan performed for another indication. Percutaneous biopsy was performed in 9 patients, of whom 5 were assigned an incorrect diagnosis. There were no operative deaths, although the postoperative complication rate was 23%. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, nearly 12% of patients presenting with a pancreatic mass did not have pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but rather more favorable lesions amenable to operation. Preoperative biopsy should not be carried out. Curative procedures can be safely performed in centers seeing a large number of patients with pancreatic tumors, and the long-term results of extirpation are excellent.

Histology of cystic tumors of the pancreas.

The cystic tumors of the pancreas constitute a considerable diagnostic challenge because of their overlapping clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features. They may be difficult to differentiate from one another and from benign lesions such as pseudocysts. Because many of the tumors in this group are potentially curable, correct diagnosis is essential for proper patient management. Even when correctly diagnosed, thorough microscopic evaluation is required for the mucin-producing tumors to correctly determine their degree of malignant progression in any given case. Most recently, molecular analysis of these tumors has demonstrated definitively that the serous and mucinous types of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are unrelated pathogenetically. Conversely, molecular data indicate similarities between the mucinous types of cystic tumors and ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, but the essential molecular differences that underlie the differences in biological behavior are as yet undetermined.

Surgery of cystic neoplasms.

Neoplastic cysts of the pancreas have been recognized since the nineteenth century, and although differences between neoplastic and proliferative cysts were acknowledged, they were treated similarly, first by marsupialization and later by internal drainage. Increased awareness of the malignant potential of neoplastic cysts, as well as advances in surgical techniques, made excision the preferred treatment for these lesions as early as the 1940s, but errors in diagnosis were frequent, and even to this date, continue to account for cases of pancreatic cystic tumors treated by drainage.

Mucinous tumors of the ovary: interobserver diagnostic variability and utility of sectioning protocols.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the interobserver variability of the subclassification of ovarian mucinous tumors and the utility of different sectioning protocols. METHODS: Six pathologists retrospectively reclassified 73 mucinous tumors (30 adenomas, 22 low malignant potential tumors, and 21 carcinomas). Using probabilities, the accuracy of limited sectioning protocols was compared with that of a one section per centimeter protocol. RESULTS: The mean kappa statistic was 0.56, indicating only good agreement. Although a limited sectioning protocol would result in misdiagnosing cases of stage IA carcinoma as a low malignant potential tumor, the overall prognosis of patients with low malignant potential tumors would not markedly change. The prognosis of a patient with a low malignant potential tumor using limited sectioning was within the prognostic range owing to interobserver variability alone. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that extensive sectioning of ovarian mucinous tumors has limited benefit.

Appendiceal tumour--retrospective clinicopathological analysis.

Appendiceal tumours are rare and often discovered unexpectedly in an acute situation in which decision-making is difficult. We report the spectrum of appendiuar tumours seen in our institution over a period of more than 10 years, and discuss the clinicopathological behaviour, investigations, surgical procedures and outcomes in these patients. We have also reviewed the literature with regard to appendiceal tumours. Appendicular tumours were identified from the database of 1646 appendictomies (18% in children) performed in single centre and case notes were reviewed. Clinical presentation, investigations, histopathology, surgical procedures and outcome were analysed. Twelve patients with appendiceal tumours were identified (0.72%): 8 carcinoid, 2 mucinous (mucocele) and 2 adenocarcinoma. All the patients with a carcinoid tumour presented with features suggestive of acute appendicitis and were diagnosed postoperatively following appendicectomy and formal histology. No further surgical intervention was required as these lesions were less than 1cm away from the base of the appendix. One of the patient with mucinous cystadenoma presented acutely and underwent an appendicectomy; in the other patient with chronic pain, apreoperative MRI suggested the diagnosis leading to a planned hemicolectomy as the lesion was close to the base of the appendix. While one of the patient with an adenocarcinoma localized to the appendix did well following a right hemicolectomy, the other patient with disseminated disease succumbed within a year. Carcinoid tumours are the commonest appendiceal tumours, which present often as acute appendicitis. While appendicectomy would be adequate in most of these patients, in patients with a cystadenoma close to the base of the appendix or in case of a carcinoma, a right hemicolectomy is the appropriate option. While the prognosis is good in patients with carcinoid tumour and cystadenoma, it remains dismal in patients with disseminated malignant disease.

Increased risk of mucinous neoplasm of the appendix in adults undergoing interval appendectomy.

IMPORTANCE: The role of interval appendectomy after conservative management of perforated appendicitis remains controversial. Determining the etiology of perforated appendicitis is one reason to perform interval appendectomies. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether adult patients undergoing interval appendectomy experience an increased rate of neoplasms. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: A single tertiary care institution. PARTICIPANTS: All patients 18 years or older who underwent appendectomy for presumed appendicitis from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2010. EXPOSURES Appendectomy for presumed appendicitis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Underlying neoplasm as the cause of presentation for presumed appendicitis. Demographic data, clinicopathologic characteristics, interval resection rate, and complication data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, 376 patients underwent appendectomies. Interval appendectomy was performed in 17 patients (4.5%). Neoplasms were identified in 14 patients (3.7%); 5 of those tumors occurred in patients who had undergone interval appendectomy (29.4%). Nine neoplasms were mucinous tumors (64.3%), including all neoplasms associated with interval appendectomies. The mean age of all patients with appendiceal tumors was 49 years (range, 35-74 years). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Mucinous neoplasms of the appendix were found in 5 of 17 patients (29.4%) undergoing interval appendectomy. Interval appendectomies should be considered in all adult patients, especially those 40 years or older, to determine the underlying cause of appendicitis. A multi-institutional study to determine the generalizability of these findings is warranted.

Cistoadenoma mucinoso gigante de ovario de bajo grado de malignidad / Giant mucinous ovarian cystadenoma of low malignancy

El cistoadenoma mucinoso de ovario representa aproximadamente 15 por ciento de las lesiones neoplásicas benignas de ovario y en 5 por ciento de los casos pueden ser bilaterales. Suele manifestarse en edades medias de la vida y son poco frecuentes en la edad pediátrica y en la adolescencia. El objetivo del trabajo es profundizar en el diagnóstico y la conducta terapéutica de esta enfermedad. Se realizó una revisión del tema y se presentó un caso relevante por las dimensiones del quiste. Se presenta una adolescente de 16 años de edad que presentó un cuadro de distensión abdominal y dolor en hemiabdomen derecho de un mes de evolución. Se le realizó cirugía y se encontró un tumor gigante de ovario izquierdo con 10 kilogramos de peso, se corroboró el diagnóstico histológico de cistoadenoma mucinoso de ovario. La paciente evolucionó satisfactoriamente(AU)

Ovarian mucinous cystadenoma accounts for approximately 15 percent of benign ovarian neoplastic lesions and in 5 percent of cases may be bilateral. It usually manifests in middle ages of life and they are rare in pediatric age and adolescence. The objective of this paper work is to deepen on the diagnosis and therapeutic state of this disease. A review of the topic was made and a case was presented because of the significant dimensions of the cyst. We present a 16-year-old girl who presented abdominal distension and pain in the right hemiabdomen for a month of evolution. Surgery was performed and a giant tumor on the left ovary was found. It weighed 10 kilograms, corroborating the histological diagnosis of mucinous ovarian cystadenoma. The patient evolved satisfactorily(AU)

[Ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (borderline ovarian tumors)]. / Tumorile ovariene cu potential malign scazut (tumorile ovariene borderline).

UNLABELLED: Ovarian borderline tumors are rare, their good prognosis depending on their stage at the time of diagnosis, and the presence of invasive implants. There is little information on tumor type identified intra-surgically, as well as on the most favorable treatment in borderline ovarian tumors. AIM: To determine the criteria of identification and presurgery and intra-surgery differentiation of the ovarian borderline tumors from the invasive carcinoma and benign ovarian tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 54 patients with TPMS (ovarian borderline tumors) surgically treated in the past 22 years (January 1988-December 2009) at the 4th Gynecological Clinic of the lasi "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy. In this interval 1,107 ovarian tumors: 575 benign, 478 malignant, and 54 TPMS (4.87%) were recorded. The age of the patients with borderline tumors ranged between 20 and 78 years, mean age 46 years, and the histological types were: mucinous (27 cases), serous (18 cases), mixed (8 cases), and Brenner tumor (1 case). RESULTS: We have analyzed the distribution of these cases according to the time when surgical treatment was performed. The frequency of borderline ovarian tumors in our study is 4.87%, lower than in the literature. We believe that this low percentage in our study is due to missing the microscopic data in some macroscopic benign tumors. CONCLUSIONS: By this research we aimed at elaborating a therapeutic strategy for each case using with discernment the modern treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy), as well as new chemical drugs with the goal of obtaining better results and longer survival. There are no tumor markers which could predict the progression of a borderline ovarian tumor to invasive tumors, but the invasive course is only 0.7%.

Epithelial ovarian tumors in adolescents: a retrospective pathologic study and a critical review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to further evaluate the pathologic features of epithelial ovarian neoplasms and their relative frequency among all ovarian tumors in the adolescent population. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective pathologic study of all cases of epithelial ovarian neoplasms in adolescents (aged 11-19 years) diagnosed in the pathology laboratory of our hospital over the past 25 years. RESULTS: A total of 86 ovarian tumors were identified, including 23 epithelium-derived ovarian neoplasms (26.7%), 53 germ cell tumors (61.6%), 9 sex-cord stromal tumors (10.5%) and 1 benign Brenner tumor (1.2%). Most cases of epithelial tumors were found in patients 17 years of age or older (14/23 cases, 60.9%). All tumors were unilateral, and their size ranged from 2.5-21 cm (mean 11.7 cm). Epithelial tumors were further histologically subtyped into 21 benign cystadenomas (14 serous and 7 mucinous) and 2 mucinous borderline tumors. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively high frequency of epithelial ovarian neoplasms among all ovarian tumors in a purely adolescent population was found in our study. Age-related selection bias may account at least in part for the discrepancy between our data and most previous reports. The most common subtype of epithelial ovarian tumor in our series was the benign serous cystadenoma.