SERUM CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND INCIDENCE OF OVARION TUMOURS IN PAKISTANI WOMEN

Abstract

Background: This study was aimed to observe the relationship of serum cholesterol with incidence of ovarian tumours (benign and malignant) in pre and postmenopausal Pakistani women.  Effect of type (benign and malignant) and state of disease (FIGO stages of malignant tumours) on serum was also the objective of the study. Methods: Thirty-five clinically and histopathologically confirmed patients with benign & malignant tumours (mean age 47.05 with rang of 16–70 years) selected. Nineteen age and weight matched healthy control subjects were selected among the female staff members and students of JPMC. Serum cholesterol was estimated by kit method. Results: In case of benign tumour patients lowest level of serum cholesterol was observed in serous cyst adenoma (p<0.0005) & ovarian cyst of undetermined origin (p<0.001). The lower cholesterol levels were also observed in other groups when compared with controls (p<0.0005). Statistically significant differences were noted when serum cholesterol levels compared between stage 1 and Ш (p<0.05) between 1 and 1V (p<0.001) П & 1V (p<0.05) and between Ш & 1V (p<0.01). Conclusion: Findings of this study suggests that lowest levels of total cholesterol (TC) has been observed in various s benign and malignant tumours and the inverse correlation between low total cholesterol levels to incidence and mortality of tumours is more markedly associated with the advance disease status. This finding of inverse relation of TC with increase incidence of cancer is in agreement with the several prospective epidemiological studies carried out by various researchers.