Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Pure dysgerminoma of the ovary: a single institutional experience of 65 patients

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ovarian dysgerminomas are rare entity and account for only about 2% of all malignant ovarian neoplasm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, long-term survival, and fertility outcome of women diagnosed with ovarian dysgerminoma at our institution. Sixty-five women with histologically proven pure ovarian dysgerminoma were identified in this retrospective study. They were treated at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh; Saudi Arabia between 1976 and 2010. The median age was 20 years. The most frequent symptoms at presentation were abdominal pain and abdominal/pelvic mass. Thirty-three patients (50.7%) presented with stage I, 2 (3.1%) had stage II, 22 (33.8%) had stage III, and 4 (6.2%) had stage IV (4 unknown stage). Unilateral oophorectomy was performed in 50 patients (76.9%) while bilateral oophorectomy ± hysterectomy was done in 12 patients (18.4%). Three patients had biopsy only. Forty patients (61.5%) received only chemotherapy, and 4 patients (6.2%) received radiotherapy alone. Recurrence was observed in 6 patients (9.2%). With median follow-up of 54 months, the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 88 and 95%, respectively. On univariate analysis, adjuvant chemotherapy was independent better prognostic factor for DFS (HR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01–0.84; P = 0.034). Of the 50 patients treated with fertility-sparing surgery, 16 patients (32%) achieved pregnancy with 14 live births. Patients with pure ovarian dysgerminoma have excellent long-term outcome. There is no difference at outcome between fertility-sparing and nonconservative surgeries. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with significant improvement in DFS. It is possible to maintain good reproductive function after conservative surgery followed by chemotherapy in our series.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Talerman A. Germ cell tumours of the ovary. In: Kurman RJ, editor. Blaustein’s pathology of the female genital tract. New York: Springer; 1994. p. 849.

    Google Scholar 

  2. La Vecchia C, Morris HB, Draper GJ. Malignant ovarian tumours in childhood in Britain, 1962–78. Br J Cancer. 1983;48:363–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Thomas GM, Dembo AJ, Hacker NF, et al. Current therapy for dysgerminoma of the ovary. Obstet Gynecol. 1987;70:268–75.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. De Palo G, Pilotti S, Kenda R, et al. Natural history of dysgerminoma. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1982;143:799–807.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kumar S, Shah JP, Bryant CS, et al. The prevalence and prognostic impact of lymph node metastasis in malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary. Gynecol Oncol. 2008;110:125–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Dark GG, Bower M, Newlands ES, et al. Surveillance policy for stage I ovarian germ cell tumors. J Clin Oncol. 1997;15:620–4.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Patterson DM, Murugaesu N, Holden L, et al. A review of the close surveillance policy for stage I female germ cell tumors of the ovary and other sites. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2008;18:43–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Smith HO, Berwick M, Verschraegen CF, et al. Incidence and survival rates for female malignant germ cell tumors. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;107:1075–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Zanetta G, Bonazzi C, Cantu M, et al. Survival and reproductive function after treatment of malignant germ cell ovarian tumors. J Clin Oncol. 2001;19:1015–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gershenson DM, Morris M, Cangir A, et al. Treatment of malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin. J Clin Oncol. 1990;8:715–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Brewer M, Gershenson DM, Herzog CE, et al. Outcome and reproductive function after chemotherapy for ovarian dysgerminoma. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17:2670–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Casey AC, Bhodauria S, Shapter A, et al. Dysgerminoma: the role of conservative surgery. Gynecol Oncol. 1996;63:352–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Vicus D, Beiner ME, Klachook S, et al. Pure dysgerminoma of the ovary 35 years on: a single institutional experience. Gynecol Oncol. 2010;117:23–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cicin I, Eralp Y, Saip P, et al. Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors: a single-institution experience. Am J Clin Oncol. 2009;32:191–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Low JJ, Perrin LC, Crandon AJ, et al. Conservative surgery to preserve ovarian function in patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors. A review of 74 cases. Cancer. 2000;89:391–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Culine S, Lhomme C, Kattan J, et al. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy in the management of germ cell tumors of the ovary: The Institut Gustave Roussy Experience. Gynecol Oncol. 1997;64:160–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Dimopoulos MA, Papadopoulou M, Andreopoulou E, et al. Favorable outcome of ovarian germ cell malignancies treated with cisplatin or carboplatin-based chemotherapy: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group study. Gynecol Oncol. 1998;70:70–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jeyakumar A, Cabeza R, Hindenburg A. Late recurrence in ovarian dysgerminoma with successful response to standard adjuvant chemotherapy: a case report and review of the literature. Gynecol Oncol. 2001;81:314–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gershenson DM, Miller AM, Champion VL, et al. Reproductive and sexual function after platinum-based chemotherapy in long-term ovarian germ cell tumor survivors: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:2792–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tangir J, Zelterman D, Ma W, et al. Reproductive function after conservative surgery and chemotherapy for malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary. Obstet Gynecol. 2003;101:251–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamed AL Husaini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

AL Husaini, H., Soudy, H., Darwish, A.E.D. et al. Pure dysgerminoma of the ovary: a single institutional experience of 65 patients. Med Oncol 29, 2944–2948 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-012-0194-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-012-0194-z

Keywords

Navigation