Recent management of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors: a study of 34 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To review the outcome of the treatment in patients with malignant ovarian Germ cell tumors with respect to survival and surgical management at a single institution during 1990-1996.

METHODS: Thirty-four patients with malignant ovarian Germ cell tumors were studied retrospectively for their surgical management. Fourteen patients had pure dysgerminoma, 11 endodermal sinus tumor, 6 immature teratoma, and 3 mixed Germ cell tumors. Nine patients had stage IA, 8 stage IC, 2 stage IIC, 8 stage III, 3 stage IV, and 4 referred patients with recurrent diseases.

RESULTS: Nineteen patients underwent primary conservative surgery, 11 had primary nonconservative surgery. Twenty-two patients were treated with chemotherapy (BEP or EP or PVB regimen). Five patients with pure dysgerminoma received adjuvant radiotherapy. Persistent remission was achieved in 26 patients. Two patients (7.4%) had recurrence after remission. Seven patients had died of the diseases. Patients with complete clinical remission did not undergo second-look surgery. The overall survival was 78.8%, 100% for immature teratoma, 84.6% for pure dysgerminoma, 72.8% for endodermal sinus tumor, and 33.3% for mixed Germ cell tumors, with median follow-up time 31 (3-93) months.

CONCLUSION: Patients with limited diseases regardless of histologic types can be safely managed by unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by, if indicated, 3-4 courses of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. For advanced diseases, conservative surgery is advisable in patients with endodermal sinus tumor.