A recent study evaluated the effects of fertility-saving surgery in women with borderline ovarian tumors.

The researchers analyzed data from 213 women and followed them for an average of 75 months. In 81% of cases it was a tumor in phase 1, in 4% of a tumor in phase 2 and in 15% of a tumor in phase 3. Women suffered from different types of cancer: 140 had a serous ovarian carcinoma ; 69 a borderline mucinous tumor. The average age of women was 38.7 years and 62% of them were under 40 at the time of diagnosis.

Of the 213 women followed, 112 underwent a fertility-saving surgical operation. In almost half of the cases it was conservative surgery, such as cystectomy and partial ovariectomy. Of 50 patients who had a relapse in progress, 40 underwent conservative surgery. The analyzes revealed a link between conservative surgery and increased risk of relapse.

During the study, 20 women died. In 11 cases, the cause was ovarian cancer and 6 of them had undergone a conservative intervention. However, researchers found no link between fertility preservation and increased mortality. Instead, they documented about 67 pregnancies in 42 women.

According to the authors of the study, an early diagnosis and the use of fertility-saving surgery would increase the chances of conceiving. In any case, the probabilities remain related to the patient's age, to his ovarian reserves and to his general state of health.

Source: medscape.com