Long Term Follow-up after Ovarian Borderline Tumor: Relapse and Survival in a large Patient Cohort

Objective: To asses long term survival and relapse rate of patients (pts) diagnosed with a borderline tumor of the ovary (BOT). Materials and Methods: All women diagnosed for BOT between 1983–2006 were retrospectively analyzed for survival and relapse rates. Results: Altogether, 113 pts could be identified, including 19 treated with fertility spearing surgery (19.2%). 63 patients (55.8%) were diagnosed at early tumor stage (pT1a). Mean follow-up time was 9.6±6.6 years. 10 relapses occurred during the follow-up period (10.1%). pts with recurrent disease had a statistically significant worse survival rate: 5- and 10-year survival (ysr) were 90.0% and 80.0% compared to 98.9% and 94.4% for those without (p=0.02). Moreover, pts with a CA–125 elevation above normal range at primary diagnosis had a significantly worse survival rate (p=0.04). 11 pts were diagnosed with invasive implants. 4 of them had a relapse during follow-up, resulting in a relapse rate as high as 36.4% compared to 6.8% for those without invasive implants (p=0.01). 5- and 10-ysr of women treated with fertility sparing surgery were 100% and thus not worse than those of radically operated patients (5- and 10-ysr 95.1% and 90.1%). Relapse rates in both groups were comparable with 10.5% and 10.0% (p=0.72). Conclusion: Our findings underline the good prognosis of BOT in general, but show a worse survival for pts with recurrent disease or elevated CA–125 at primary diagnosis. The fertility sparing surgery in women at child bearing age can be discussed as an adequate treatment option in early stage disease as it does not appear to have an influence on relapse or survival rates.

Ovarian borderline tumor - fertility sparing operation - tumor marker