title: Management of borderline ovarian neoplasms.
abstract: Over the last decades, the management of borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) has changed from radical surgery to more conservative therapy as a result of the need for fertility-sparing surgery and the increasing use of laparoscopy. The question is whether this is good clinical practice from an oncologic point of view. Here, recent literature regarding management of borderline ovarian neoplasms is reviewed, and oncologic concerns are discussed with emphasis on the mode of surgery and the possibility of fertility-sparing surgery and its consequences. Proper staging is defined as an exploration of the entire abdominal cavity with peritoneal washings, infracolic omentectomy, and multiple peritoneal biopsies as the cornerstone of a successful treatment, and this is only possible through a midline incision. For stage I disease, conservative surgery consisting of unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or cystectomy in case of bilateral ovarian involvement or when the disease develops in the only remaining ovary is a valuable alternative in a number of young patients who want to preserve their fertility. Patients with advanced-stage disease or who are finished childbearing are treated with radical surgery consisting of peritoneal washings, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, infracolic omentectomy, complete peritoneal resection of macroscopic lesions, or multiple peritoneal biopsies; in case of mucinous BOTs, patients also are treated with an appendectomy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecological Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cadron
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leunen
authors.forename: Toon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van Gorp
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amant
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neven
authors.forename: Ignace
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vergote
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents