An Assessment of Ovarian Cancer Histotypes Across the African Diaspora
Authors: George Sophia H. L. , Omotoso Ayodele , Pinto Andre , Mustapha Aisha , Sanchez-Covarrubias Alex P. , Umar Usman Aliyu , Umar Ali Bala , Oluwasola Timothy Abiola , Okolo Clement Abu , Anthony Umeh Uchenna , Ukekwe Francis Ikechukwu , Bakari Maisaratu A. , Dahiru Aminu M. C. , Abdullahi Habiba Ibrahim , Abimiku Bawa Ahmed , Abdurrahman Aisha , Usman Asmau , Ahmed Saad Aliyu , Usman Hadiza Abdullahi , Kabir Abba , Eleje George Uchenna , Chiemeka Michael Emeka , Nzeribe Emily , Nweke Ikechukwu , Kadas SaiduAbubakar , Suleiman Dauda E. , Ekanem Etim , Uche Umemmuo Maureen , Paul Jibrin , Agwu Uzoma Maryrose , Edegbe Felix O. , Anorlu Rose I. , Banjo Adekunbiola , Ajenifuja Kayode Olusegun , Fawole Adegboyega Adisa , Kazeem Ibrahim O. O. , Magaji Francis , Silas Olugbenga , Athanasius Boma Precious , Tamunomie Nyengidiki Kennedy , Bassey Emem , Abudu Kunle , Ango Ibrahim G. , Abdullahi Kabiru , Lawal Ishak , Kabir Suleiman Aliyu , Ekanem Victor , Ezeanochie Michael , Yahaya Usman Rahman , Castillo Melissa Nicole , Bahall Vishal , Chatrani Vikash , Brambury Ian , Bowe Saida , Halliday Darron , Bruney George , Butler Raleigh , Ragin Camille , Odedina Folakemi , Chamala Srikar , Schlumbrecht Matthew , Audu Bala 
Published: December 2021

Objective

Ovarian cancer in Black women is common in many West African countries but is relatively rare in North America. Black women have worse survival outcomes when compared to White women. Ovarian cancer histotype, diagnosis, and age at presentation are known prognostic factors for outcome. We sought to conduct a preliminary comparative assessment of these factors across the African diaspora.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer (all histologies) between June 2016-December 2019 in Departments of Pathology at 25 participating sites in Nigeria were identified. Comparative population-based data, inclusive of Caribbean-born Blacks (CBB) and US-born Blacks (USB), were additionally captured from the International Agency for Research on Cancer and Florida Cancer Data Systems. Histology, country of birth, and age at diagnosis data were collected and evaluated across the three subgroups: USB, CBB and Nigerians. Statistical analyses were done using chi-square and student’s t-test with significance set at p&lt;0.05.

Results

Nigerians had the highest proportion of germ cell tumor (GCT, 11.5%) and sex-cord stromal (SCST, 16.2%) ovarian cancers relative to CBB and USB (p=0.001). CBB (79.4%) and USB (77.3%) women were diagnosed with a larger proportion of serous ovarian cancer than Nigerians (60.4%) (p&lt;0.0001). Nigerians were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancers at the youngest age (51.7± 12.8 years) relative to USB (58.9 ± 15.0) and CBB (59.0± 13.0,p&lt;0.001). Black women [CBB (25.2 ± 15.0), Nigerians (29.5 ± 15.1), and USB (33.9 ± 17.9)] were diagnosed with GCT younger than White women (35.4 ± 20.5, p=0.011). Black women [Nigerians (47.5 ± 15.9), USB (50.9 ± 18.3) and CBB (50.9 ± 18.3)] were also diagnosed with SCST younger than White women (55.6 ± 16.5, p&lt;0.01).

Conclusion

There is significant variation in age of diagnosis and distribution of ovarian cancer histotype/diagnosis across the African diaspora. The etiology of these findings requires further investigation.