Treatment of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors with preservation of fertility: reproductive performance after persistent remission

Abstract

To describe our experience with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors with special reference to reproductive performance after remission, medical records of 31 patients were reviewed. The mean age at diagnosis was 18.6 years. Tumor by stage was I in 16 cases, II in 5, III in 5, IV in 3, and recurrence in 2. Histology was dysgerminoma in 7 cases, yolk sac tumor in 10, immature teratoma in 7, choriocarcinoma in 1, and mixed-type tumor in 6. Conservative surgery for fertility preservation was performed in 21 cases. Postoperative chemotherapy was given to all cases except two with stage Ia dysgerminoma. Of 31 cases, 4 including one fertility-preserved case died of disease. The other 27 cases including 20 fertility-preserved cases were successfully treated. Twenty-five cases (92.6%) have been followed longer than 60 months and 13 cases (48.1%) longer than 120 months. By the last follow-up, 8 of the 20 fertility-preserved cases delivered a total of 9 normal babies. Of the remaining 12 nonpregnant cases, 3 married, 9 have had regular menses, and 3 have had menstrual problems. Two of the latter three cases have been in hypergonadotropic anovulatory cycles. One patient has been diagnosed with tubal infertility caused by peritubal adhesion. Thus, management of the disease with fertility preservation is safe and the majority of patients can attain or retain normal ovarian function and reproductive potential.