Menstrual function and childbearing potential after fertility-sparing surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy for malignant ovarian germ cell tumours.
Malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCT) account for 5% of all ovarian malignancies. Their elevated chemosensitivity, the frequent unilaterality and the young age of patients have strongly supported the conservative surgery as the standard approach, often followed by adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. The risk for recurrence is not affected by the performance of conservative versus radical surgery. During chemotherapy 50% of patients become amenorrhoeic but more than 95% of them resume normal menses after treatment completion. Literature has reported several healthy babies born after fertility-sparing surgery with or without chemotherapy for MOGCT. The incidence of miscarriages is in the normal range, whereas malformation rate is slightly higher compared to general population, without any difference between chemotherapy-treated and -untreated patients. Therefore, young women with MOGCT must be reassured of their excellent chances of survival and fertility preservation following conservative surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
Angiolo
A
Gadducci
Nora
N
Lanfredini
Roberta
R
Tana
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds
Chemotherapy; childbearing potential; fertility-sparing surgery; malignant ovarian germ cell tumours; prognosis