Clinical characteristics with patterns of relapse and survival analysis of ovarian clear cell carcinoma

AIMS: To analyze clinical characteristics, patterns of relapse, and treatment outcomes of clearcell carcinoma of the ovary (CCO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case files of 51 patients diagnosed with CCO between 2003 and 2010 were reviewed. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 48 years (27-64 years). Fifty percent presented with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms. The median serum Ca125 was 74 IU/ml (6-1567 U/ml). Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 32 (62.7%) patients. Of the 51 patients in this series, 34 (66.6%) had Stage I disease; Stage Ia in 12 (23.6%), Stage Ib in 1(1.9%), and Stage Ic in 21 (41.1%). Thirteen (25.6%) presented with Stage III and 4 (7.8%) with Stage IV. No patient had Stage II disease. All patients received 4-6 cycles of platinum-based combination chemotherapy. There were 18 relapses (35.2%), with disease-free intervals <6 months in 9, 6-12 months in 4, and >12 months in 5, respectively. Of them 33.3% had a recurrent pelvic mass. The median survival after relapse was 14 months. There were 13 deaths, 11 due to disease progression, 1 due to chemo toxicity, and 1 unrelated to disease. At a median follow up of 28 months, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with Stage I-Stage II (early) disease was 64% and 80%, respectively. In patients with advanced disease, that is, Stages III and IV, DFS and OS were 35% and 38%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CCO generally presents at an early stage but has a high propensity for relapse. Patients with early-stage disease have a relatively good prognosis as compared with those with advanced-stage disease.