Pregnancy outcomes and menstrual function after fertility sparing surgery for pure ovarian dysgerminomas

The medical records of 23 patients with pure ovarian dysgerminoma treated by conservative surgery at SSK Ankara Maternity Hospital between 1991 and 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. Pregnancy outcomes and menstrual function after conservative surgery were analyzed.

Seven patients (30%) were incompletely staged and were assumed to be stage IA due to intraoperative findings. Fifteen patients (70%) were surgically staged. As a result 15 patients (65.2%) were diagnosed to be stage I while 2 patients (8.6%) were staged II and 6 patients (26%) were staged III. Wedge biopsy of contralateral ovary was performed in 17 patients (74%) and tumor was diagnosed in 2 (11.7%). Adjuvant chemotherapy was applied in 16 (70%) of the cases. BEP (bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin) was the most frequently used regimen (39%). Recurrences were seen in 3 (13%) patients. The sites of recurrences were contralateral ovary in all cases. Recurrences were treated with surgery and radiotherapy. None of the patients died of disease. Nine patients were sexually active. Five of these patients had prior live births. Three of the primiparous patients delivered after treatment. Five pregnancies occurred in 3 nulliparous patients at the time of primary surgery. Three of these reached term and healthy babies were delivered. One pregnancy was terminated at 18 weeks of gestation due to anencephaly and a dilatation and curettage was performed at 6th week in another patient. Menstrual problems occurred in 4 (17.3%) of the 23 patients.

Fertility sparing treatments are safe in patients with pure ovarian dysgerminoma.