A 15-year-old girl has a malignant ovarian tumor. What signs can parents recognize?

Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital said that the hospital has just successfully operated on a malignant ovarian tumor measuring 24cm on a 15-year-old patient in Bac Ninh province.

According to the family, a few months ago, the child complained of stomach pain, and the mother observed that the child's belly was bigger. The family thought the child had gained weight due to overeating. Recently, the belly has gotten bigger, the child still complained of stomach pain, but because the 10th grade entrance exam was coming up, the family waited until the child took the 10th grade entrance exam before taking the child to the Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital for a check-up.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Anh Dao and the surgical team removed the tumor.

During the examination, the ultrasound image showed that the right ovary had a mixed echogenic mass measuring nearly 24cm in size, with clear boundaries and no vascular signal inside. The MRI scan showed a multi-cystic, multi-lobular mass, and the doctors thought it was a left ovarian teratoma O-RADS 5, suspected cancer. The patient was admitted to the A5 Gynecology and Surgery Department. Then, she was scheduled for open surgery and cold biopsy.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Anh Dao - Head of Department of Gynecology and Surgery A5, Dr. Tran Van Cuong - Head of Department of Anesthesia and Resuscitation, and the team performed the surgery. Immediately after checking the nature of the tumor, the patient underwent surgery to remove the adnexa on the side with the tumor. The surgery was successful, removing a large tumor measuring 24cm.

"Fortunately, the 15-year-old patient's tumor is a germ cell tumor, at an early stage, so the chance of effective treatment is high," said Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Anh Dao.

Symptoms of ovarian tumors are very vague.

According to MSc. Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thanh, Head of the Department of Specialist Examination, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, ovarian cysts are a common gynecological disease, especially in the reproductive age group. 15% of ovarian tumors are malignant. Ovarian cancer accounts for 30% of all female reproductive cancers and is the fifth most common cancer in women.

Most tumors are discovered incidentally during a physical examination, general ultrasound, or pelvic mass detected through abdominal and gynecological examination. Ovarian tumors often progress silently without obvious symptoms. Because there are no symptoms, ovarian cancers are often discovered late, when they have metastasized. Even with ovarian cancer, the symptoms are not ovarian symptoms but mainly non-gynecological symptoms due to tumor metastasis or compression of neighboring structures.

As for ovarian teratoma as seen in the girl above, MSc. Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thanh also said that this is a type of tumor that can occur in childbearing age, postmenopausal age or in children, 10% of teratoma can occur during pregnancy. The cyst wall has a skin-like structure with a layer of horn, fat, sweat in the cyst containing hair, teeth, and bean curd. Symptoms are often vague without obvious symptoms, often detected during gynecological examination, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal X-ray.

Complications of ovarian cysts

Also according to MSc. Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thanh, complications of ovarian cysts include:

• Ovarian cyst torsion: Acute or subacute often occurs with teratocysts, not very large in size, sometimes occurs with mucous cysts, water cysts. Symptoms of sudden severe pain, sweating, dizziness and vomiting require emergency surgery.
• Cyst rupture: Usually occurs when the cyst is twisted many times or due to strong impact trauma to the cyst.
• Ovarian cancer: Can be found in cysts with papillae in the cyst wall.
• Cyst infection: Occurs when the cyst twists, the infection causes it to enlarge and adhere to surrounding organs, showing signs of toxic infection.
• Cyst compressing the pelvis: Compressing the rectum, bladder, ureter causing constipation and urinary retention... The cyst grows large over many years, filling the entire abdomen, compressing the inferior vena cava causing edema and ascites...
• Pregnancy with cysts: Cysts can cause miscarriage, premature birth, and placenta previa. Cyst surgery is usually performed when the pregnancy is in the 4th month. If there are complications of ovarian torsion, surgery must be performed at any month.

"Ovarian cysts are a common disease in women and most of them are benign tumors (rarely causing cancer). Although the rate of ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer is not high, this is a type of cancer with a high degree of malignancy and often has no symptoms in the early stages, and can only be detected during gynecological examination and ultrasound. Therefore, women should have regular gynecological examinations every 4-6 months to detect early signs of abnormalities in ovarian cysts as well as other gynecological diseases. When children begin puberty, parents should take their children for screening. As soon as you notice unusual signs of health such as changes in menstrual cycle, frequent pelvic pain, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, you should take your child for a check-up as soon as possible." - Master. Doctor Nguyen Thi Minh Thanh further recommends.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/be-gai-15-tuoi-co-khoi-u-buong-trung-ac-tinh-dau-hieu-nao-giup-cha-me-nhan-biet-172240625070337333.htm