Clinical outcomes of fertility-sparing treatments in young patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Objective: To assess the clinical outcomes of fertility-sparing treatments in young patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Methods: A retrospective study of young EOC inpatients (<= 40 years old) was performed during January 1994 and December 2010 in eight institutions. Results: Data were analyzed from 94 patients treated with fertility-sparing surgery with a median follow-up time of 58.7 months. As histologic grade increased, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients receiving fertility-sparing surgery declined. Neither staging surgery nor laparoscopy of early stage EOC with conservative surgery had a significant effect on OS or DFS. Normal menstruation recommenced after chemotherapy in 89% of the fertility-sparing group. Seventeen pregnancies among twelve patients were achieved by the end of the follow-ups. Conclusions: Fertility-sparing treatment for patients with EOC Stage I Grade 1 could be cautiously considered for young patients. The surgical procedure and surgical route might not significantly influence the prognosis. Standard chemotherapy is not likely to have an evident impact on ovarian function or fertility in young patients.