# Ovarian Tumours

> NEET-PG OBG notes on ovarian tumours covering classification, tumour markers, Meigs and Krukenberg syndromes and treatment with exam points.

- Canonical URL: https://prepelephant.com/topics/neet-pg/obstetrics-and-gynaecology/ovarian-tumours
- Exam / course: NEET-PG · Subject: Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Publisher: PrepElephant (https://prepelephant.com) — Prepared and reviewed by the PrepElephant Academic Review Team
- First published: 2026-10-02
- Last updated: 2026-10-02
- How to cite: "Ovarian Tumours", PrepElephant, https://prepelephant.com/topics/neet-pg/obstetrics-and-gynaecology/ovarian-tumours

## Direct answer

Ovarian tumours are classified as epithelial, germ cell, sex cord-stromal, metastatic and miscellaneous, and each may be benign, borderline or malignant. Epithelial ovarian cancer typically presents late with non-specific symptoms and remains the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy. Evaluation combines ultrasound with tumour markers — CA-125, AFP, beta-hCG, LDH and inhibin — and treatment of malignant disease is staging surgery with cytoreduction followed by platinum-based chemotherapy.

## What you must remember

- Epithelial tumours are the commonest group overall; serous tumours lead — serous cystadenoma among benign tumours and serous carcinoma among malignant ones, with psammoma bodies described in serous carcinoma.
- Germ cell tumours dominate in children and young women — mature cystic teratoma (dermoid) with hair, sebum and teeth is the commonest benign ovarian tumour in the young, and dysgerminoma the commonest malignant germ cell tumour (raised LDH, radiosensitive).
- Yolk sac tumour (AFP, Schiller-Duval bodies), choriocarcinoma (beta-hCG) and immature teratoma complete the malignant germ cell group; fertility-sparing surgery is often possible in early disease.
- Sex cord-stromal tumours — granulosa cell tumour secretes oestrogen (Call-Exner bodies, pseudo-precocious puberty or postmenopausal bleeding, inhibin marker); fibroma causes Meigs syndrome (benign fibroma with ascites and right-sided pleural effusion, resolving after removal); Sertoli-Leydig tumours virilise.
- Krukenberg tumour is metastatic signet-ring adenocarcinoma, usually bilateral, classically from the stomach.
- CA-125 is raised in most advanced epithelial cancers but also in endometriosis, pelvic infection and pregnancy; the risk of malignancy index combines ultrasound score, menopausal status and CA-125.
- Treatment of epithelial cancer — staging laparotomy with total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy and debulking aiming at minimal residual disease, followed by carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy. No screening test is effective for the general population.

## Common confusion

Meigs and Krukenberg syndromes are forever swapped. Meigs is the benign triad — ovarian fibroma, ascites and right-sided pleural effusion — cured by removing the tumour. Krukenberg is malignant: a metastatic, typically bilateral, signet-ring carcinoma from a gastrointestinal primary, most often the stomach. Age also guides the confusion — a dermoid in a young woman is benign and torsion-prone, while dysgerminoma is its malignant germ-cell counterpart.

## Exam-focused takeaway

Expect age-to-tumour pairing, marker-to-tumour matching (AFP, beta-hCG, LDH, inhibin, CA-125) and the eponym bank — Call-Exner bodies, Schiller-Duval bodies, psammoma bodies, Meigs and Krukenberg. Management stems test the staging surgery components and the carboplatin-paclitaxel backbone, and a torsion vignette asks for emergency surgery.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the commonest benign ovarian tumour in young women?

Mature cystic teratoma (dermoid), containing hair, sebum and sometimes teeth. It is prone to torsion and is treated by cystectomy or oophorectomy.

### What is Meigs syndrome?

The triad of a benign ovarian fibroma, ascites and a right-sided pleural effusion, which resolve after tumour removal. Pseudo-Meigs describes similar findings with other tumours.

### What is a Krukenberg tumour?

A metastatic ovarian malignancy containing signet-ring cells, usually bilateral, classically spreading from a gastric primary. Prognosis is poor and treatment targets the underlying cancer.

### Which tumour markers match which ovarian tumours?

CA-125 for epithelial carcinoma, AFP for yolk sac tumour, beta-hCG for choriocarcinoma, LDH for dysgerminoma and inhibin for granulosa cell tumour.

### How is epithelial ovarian cancer treated?

By staging or debulking surgery — hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and omentectomy with maximal cytoreduction — followed by platinum-based chemotherapy with paclitaxel.