Risk factors for peritoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer

Abstract

Introduction. Ovarian epithelial tumors constitute 60% of all ovarian tumors and approximately 90% of primary ovarian tumors. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. Epithelial ovarian tumors typically spread via transcoelomic dissemination, with about 70% of patients presenting with peritoneal metastases. Additionally, cancers can metastasize to the pelvic lymph nodes. The objective of this study was to identify which clinical characteristics of malignant ovarian cancer might influence the occurrence of peritoneal metastases. Material and Methods. This retrospective study involved histopathological analysis of 99 malignant ovarian tumors treated at the Institute of Oncology of Vojvodina between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020. The analysis included patient age, referral and final diagnosis, dimensions of ovaries, fallopian tubes, and tumor tissue, tumor bilaterality, histological type and grade, Tumor-Node-Metastasis classification, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages of the tumor, ovarian capsule involvement, fallopian tube involvement, and presence of peritoneal implants. Patients were categorized into two groups: one with peritoneal dissemination of cancer and the other without peritoneal metastasis. Results. A statistically significant difference was observed between the presence of peritoneal dissemination and tumor bilaterality (p?0.05), as well as capsular invasion by the primary tumor (p?0.05). Conclusion. Specific clinical characteristics of ovarian cancer can aid in assessing the extent of primary ovarian tumor involvement and guide the selection of appropriate therapeutic interventions.