Oncologic and reproductive outcomes in patients with advanced-stage borderline ovarian tumors

ObjectiveTo evaluate the oncologic safety and reproductive outcomes in patients with advanced-stage borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs).Study designThe medical records of patients with advanced-stage BOTs who were treated between 1997 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Reproductive outcomes were assessed by telephone interviews.ResultsSix (24%) and 19 patients (76%) had stages II and III disease, respectively. Twenty patients (80%) were treated by radical surgery and five patients (20%) underwent fertility-sparing surgery. Five patients (20%) had invasive implants and 20 patients (80%) had non-invasive implants. The median follow-up time was 71.4 months (range, 10–135 months). Four patients relapsed after a median interval of 40 months (range, 16–77 months) following primary treatment. Of these four patients, two who initially had invasive implants relapsed in the form of invasive ovarian carcinoma. Patients with invasive implants (2 of 5 [40%]) tend to relapse more frequently than patients with non-invasive implants (2 of 20 [10%]). Among five women who underwent fertility-sparing surgery, four attempted to conceive and five singleton pregnancies occurred.ConclusionPatients with advanced-stage BOTs with non-invasive implants have an excellent prognosis. Fertility-sparing surgery should be considered if there are no invasive implants. Indeed, reproductive outcomes after fertility-sparing surgery with non-invasive implants are promising.