Late relapse of ovarian dysgerminoma: Case report and literature review

Dysgerminoma of the ovary is a rare tumor. Ovarian dysgerminoma is chemosen sitive and potentially curable even when in advanced stage. We report a cas e of intra-abdominal relapse of stage Ia ovarian dysgerminoma 20 years foll owing initial surgery. The patient was treated with surgical resection foll owed by a full course of platinum-based chemotherapy, However, she had rapi dly progressive disease and eventually died. To date, this is the latest re ported case of relapse of ovarian dysgerminoma. This rare situation has bee n reported in patients with germ cell tumors of the testis, the male counte rpart of ovarian germ cell tumors. Testis cancer patients with late relapse are rarely, if ever, curable by chemotherapy. A diagnosis of recurrent dys germinoma should be considered in patients who have the appropriate finding s with a history of dysgerminoma, even if remote. Patients with late recurr ences of ovarian germ cell tumors may be less responsive to chemotherapy. ( C) 1999 Academic Press.