Age contrast in ovarian pathology.

BACKGROUND. Ovarian cancer accounts for approximately 23% of all gynecologic tumors and is the most common fatal gynecologic malignancy. These tumors can occur in women of all ages, but there are differences in the histologic types during various decades of life. CONCLUSIONS. During infancy and childhood, the predominant type of neoplasms are those of germ cell origin, such as teratomas, dysgerminomas, and endodermal sinus tumors. In adults, epithelial neoplasms, or tumors that originate from the epithelium that covers the ovarian surface, are the most common, accounting for almost 85% of all neoplasms after the age of 50 years. The peak incidence of benign epithelial tumors occurs between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Young women (30 to 40 years of age) are frequently affected by the so-called "tumors of low malignant potential," which have excellent prognosis. Older women, on the other hand, usually have the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer, present with advanced disease, and have a dismal prognosis.