The pathological assessment of ovarian neoplasms. I: Introduction to the common 'epithelial' tumours and analysis of benign 'epithelial' tumours.

All neoplasms of the ovary encountered in a 25-year study period at the King George V Memorial Hospital were classified according to the World Health Organisation Histological Classification of Ovarian Tumours. Of these, one thousand fell into the category designated as 'common epithelial tumours'. In this report, the major clinical and pathological correlates and survival data of epithelial tumours as a whole are analysed and criteria are explained for the histological grading of the proliferating and malignant tumours. A detailed histological assessment of the 558 benign epithelial tumours is then presented.