Outcomes of fertility-sparing surgery for stage II and III serous borderline ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the feasibility of conservative treatment for stage II or III serous borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs). METHODS: Twenty-one patients were treated conservatively for advanced serous BOTs from 2006 to 2017. Two patients were lost to follow-up. The patients’ clinical status, surgical results, fertility results, and oncological outcomes were collected. RESULTS: The patients’ median age at surgery was 28 years (range, 22–37 years). The median follow-up interval was 74 months (range, 16–214 months). Among the 19 patients who were followed up, 8 had stage II tumors and 11 had stage III tumors. Sixteen patients had noninvasive peritoneal implants. Two patients developed tumor metastasis to the fallopian tubes and one developed metastasis to the pelvic lymph nodes and omentum. The total recurrence rate was 26.3%. Seventeen (89.5%) patients were nulliparous. Four of 10 patients who wished to preserve their fertility obtained natural pregnancy. No patients died of their disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the efficacy of conservative treatment for advanced BOTs with respect to its favorable fertility result. The overall prognosis is not changed by conservative treatment.