LACK OF HERITABILITY IN OVARIAN GERM-CELL MALIGNANCIES

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether relatives of patients with ovarian germ cell malignancies not associated with sex chromosome abnormalities are at increased risk for similar tumors. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed pedigrees of 78 presumptive 46,XX patients (ages ranging from newborn to 20 years) with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors, exc luding cases of dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma. A three-generation fa mily history of each proband was reviewed specifically to identify can cer in any family member. RESULTS: Seventy-eight mothers, 87 sisters, 135 aunts, and 156 grandmothers were surveyed. None had a malignant ov arian germ cell neoplasm or other malignant ovarian neoplasm. CONCLUSI ON: First- and second-degree relatives of probands with ovarian germ c ell malignancies do not have an increased risk for similar tumors. The se findings were not predicted because of the well-recognized associat ion of hereditary tumors and early age of onset.