Ovarian cancer remains an important health concern because many patients are diagnosed when the disease has already progressed. Early symptoms can be difficult to recognize because they may resemble common digestive or reproductive complaints. The study notes that ovarian cancer contributes substantially to gynecological morbidity and mortality, highlighting the importance of understanding the characteristics of patients diagnosed with the disease.
Study Examines 50 Patients from Medical Records
The researchers conducted an observational analytic study using a cross-sectional approach. The data came from medical records and pathology archives of patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer at Tarakan Regional General Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022.
A total of 50 patients met the study criteria. Because the number of eligible patients was limited, the researchers used total sampling, meaning all eligible cases were included in the analysis. The researchers then examined several factors, including age, parity, contraceptive use, and family history. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, with a significance threshold of p<0.05.
Most Patients Were Over 50
Age was one of the most notable characteristics identified in the study. Of the 50 patients, 58% were over 50 years old.
The study also found that 98% of patients had a parity of at least one, while 76% reported no contraceptive use. In addition, 92% had no reported family history of ovarian cancer.
The histopathological findings showed several types of epithelial ovarian cancer. Endometrioid tumors accounted for 34% of cases, followed by serous tumors at 32%, clear-cell tumors at 18%, and mucinous tumors at 16%.
These findings show that epithelial ovarian cancer cases in the hospital population had varied clinical and histopathological characteristics rather than being represented by a single tumor type.
No Significant Association Found for the Four Factors
Although several characteristics were common among the patients, the statistical analysis did not identify a significant association between the four examined factors and the histopathological characteristics of epithelial ovarian cancer.
The statistical results showed a p-value of 0.069 for age, 0.465 for parity, 0.326 for contraceptive use, and 0.637 for family history. All values were above the study's significance threshold of 0.05.
This means that, within this study population, the researchers did not find sufficient statistical evidence to establish a significant relationship between age, parity, contraceptive use, or family history and the histopathological characteristics examined.
The absence of a statistically significant association should not be interpreted as proof that these factors have no relationship with ovarian cancer in general. The researchers point to the multifactorial nature of ovarian cancer and the limitations of the available data as important considerations when interpreting the findings.
Small Sample and Single-Hospital Data Are Important Limitations
The researchers identified several limitations that may have affected the results. The study involved only 50 patients and was conducted at a single hospital. Because it relied on retrospective medical records, some potentially important reproductive, hormonal, hereditary, and clinical information was not completely available.
The researchers also emphasized that a reported family history of ovarian cancer is not equivalent to genetic testing. Consequently, the absence of a documented family history cannot necessarily rule out hereditary factors.
Future studies involving larger patient populations and multiple healthcare centers could provide broader evidence. The researchers also recommend collecting more detailed genetic, reproductive, and histopathological information to better examine the factors associated with epithelial ovarian cancer.
Why the Findings Matter
The study provides a snapshot of epithelial ovarian cancer cases recorded at a Jakarta hospital over a five-year period. The high proportion of patients over 50 and the distribution of histopathological types provide useful local clinical information for understanding the characteristics of patients treated in this setting.
At the same time, the findings demonstrate why ovarian cancer risk cannot necessarily be explained by a small number of demographic or reproductive factors. Larger and more comprehensive studies are needed to examine the complex combination of genetic, hormonal, reproductive, and clinical factors that may contribute to the disease.
For healthcare researchers, the study highlights the importance of strengthening clinical databases and collecting more complete patient information. Better-quality and larger datasets could help future research identify patterns that may not be detectable in a small single-center study.
Authors
The article was written by Fajar Lamhot Gultom, Pieter Daniel Nababan, and Ani Oranda Panjaitan, affiliated with Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Jakarta. The source article does not provide detailed individual professional profiles or specific areas of expertise for the three authors.
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