Early diagnosis of ovarian tumours in children and adolescents is important. Since most of these tumours are benign, surgical treatment should be conservative to minimise the risk of subsequent infertility, while the treatment of malignant tumours should include complete staging, resection of the tumour, postoperative chemotherapy when indicated, to give the patient a chance for future childbearing.
Introduction and importance
ovarian tumors and especially mixed ovarian germ cell tumors are rarely seen in the paediatric population.
Case presentation
we report the case of a 13-year-old girl which was successfully treated for a mixed ovarian germ cell tumor with a favorable evolution.
Clinical discussion
the incidence of mixed ovarian germ cell tumors, clinical manifestations, histologic distribution and prognosis are predominentely distinct in children and adolescents as compared to adult population. The diagnosis should be suspected in young girls with chronic abdominal pain and palpable swelling of the lower abdomen. Conservative surgery is the first therapeutic procedure that consists of a total resection of the mass with preservation of the reproductive function. Circulating tumor markers have the potential in diagnosis, prognostic stratification and for follow-up.
Conclusion
mixed ovarian germ cell tumors are uncommen in children. Their management must be multidisciplinary and conservative surgery by laparotomy represent the standard of care.
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