Young girls with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors can undergo normal menarche and menstruation after fertility-preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010;89(1):126-30. doi: 10.3109/00016340903348383.

Abstract

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the long-term outcome and ovarian function in premenarchal and adolescent patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors after fertility-preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Design. Retrospective review of medical records. Setting. Ajou University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in South Korea. Population. Forty-five patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors. Methods. A retrospective analysis of patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors was conducted and a statistical analysis was performed. Main outcome measures. There were 9 premenarchal and 16 adolescent patients; the median ages at diagnosis were 7 and 18 years, respectively. All patients were treated with fertility-preserving surgery. Seventeen of the patients received adjuvant chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (68.0%). There were no disease recurrences or deaths. Of the nine premenarchal patients, eight (88.9%) subsequently had normal menarche. Among the 16 adolescent patients, 15 (93.8%) resumed normal menstruation and 1 had premature ovarian failure. Conclusion. Premenarchal and adolescent patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors have excellent survival with fertility-preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. The majority of these patients can have normal menarche and menstruation.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymph Node Excision
  • Menarche*
  • Menstruation*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / blood
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / physiopathology*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / surgery
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / blood
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / surgery
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Teratoma / drug therapy
  • Teratoma / surgery

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor