In a retrospective study, data were reviewed for patients aged 45 years or younger who had FIGO stage I clear cell carcinoma of the ovary and had attended one institution in South Korea between December 1999 and December 2009. Outcomes were compared between women undergoing fertility-sparing surgery, defined as preservation of the uterus and at least one adnexa, and those undergoing radical surgery.
Overall, 47 patients were included (22 underwent fertility-sparing surgery, 25 radical surgery). After a median follow-up of 72 months (range 8–175), 5 (23%) patients who underwent fertility-sparing surgery and 5 (20%) in the radical surgery group had recurrent disease (P = 0.820). The mean time to recurrence was 19 months after fertility-sparing surgery versus 20 months after radical surgery (P = 0.935). The anatomical location of recurrence did not differ. There was no difference in 5-year disease-free survival (77% vs 84%; P = 0.849) or 5-year overall survival (91% vs 88%; P = 0.480).
Fertility-sparing surgery was found to be a safe alternative for young women with FIGO stage I clear cell carcinoma of the ovary who wish to preserve fertility.