Clinico-pathological study of female genital malignancies in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the pattern and frequency of female genital malignancies among the different age groups, the common presenting complaints of cervical cancer patients and stages of presentation as seen in Sagamu, Ogun State.

METHODOLOGY: A retrospective analysis of reports of formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks and slides of all female genital samples received at Morbid Anatomy & Histopathology Department of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu from January 1st, 2003 to June 30th, 2012. The personal data and clinical history were retrieved from laboratory forms and the patients' case files.

RESULTS

The age range of patients whose specimens were reviewed was between 21-85 years. Cancers of the cervix accounted for majority (65.1%) of the cases followed by ovarian cancer (23.2%) and cancer involving the uterus (10.5%). Sixty-six percent of the cervical cancer patients are 50 years and above. Majority of the cervical cancer cases (82.2%) were squamous cell carcinoma. The common clinical features were post-menopausal bleeding (53.3%), vaginal discharge (43.3%), and intermenstrual bleeding (16.7%). The interval between onset of symptoms and seeking of healthcare was 6.7 ± 3.66 months. Stage IIIB cervical cancer was seen in 40% of the cervical cancer patients analyzed while no case of Stage IA was seen. Ninety-three percent of these patients were referred for radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Cancer of the cervix is the commonest gynaecological malignancy and most patients presented late. Free or government subsidized cervical cancer screening programmes and awareness campaign is highly recommended.