Ovarian cancer in children

Gynecologic malignancies account for approximately 2% of all childhood cancers, 60-70% of which are ovarian in origin. New therapeutic modalities have resulted in a significant increase in survival rates for these young patients. Recent advances in the management of germ cell and sex cord tumors of the ovary have resulted not only in an increase in cure rates but also in simultaneous preservation of future fertility. The recent advent of surgical staging has elucidated the early sites of subclinical or occult metastases that accounted for the high mortality in patients who were previously presumed to have localized ovarian cancer. Treatment options are discussed for the various classes of ovarian tumors in children, at the hand of experience at the authors' institution, and of others.