CONSERVATIVE SURGERY IN HIGH-RISK EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Background: In epithelial ovarian cancer, conservative surgery has mai nly been adopted for stage Ia disease, The aim of this study is to rep ort on a conservative surgical approach used in selected young patient s vith ovarian cancer who would usually undergo radical operations, St udy Design: From 1980 through 1994, 10 patients with invasive epitheli al ovarian cancer and with high-grade or limited extraovarian disease were treated with conservative surgery, The mean age was 22.7 years, T he stage was Ia grade 3 in 2 patients, Ic in 2 patients, ma in 2 patie nts, and IIIc in 4 patients, Eight patients were given adjuvant therap y (radiotherapy in 1 and chemo-therapy in 7), Results: All patients we re alive and disease-free at a median followup time of 70 months (rang e 24-138 months), Nine patients were menstruating regularly and three had become pregnant, Conclusions: It seems that in selected patients, conservative operations can be used beyond the worldwide accepted crit erion of stage Ia, This concept deserves additional investigation in l arger series. (C) 1997 by the American College of Surgeons).