Women with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors who undergo surgery intended to preserve fertility, in addition to platinum-based chemotherapy, are likely to maintain fertility, says a new study from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors occur in the eggs of the ovary and tend to affect young women.


71 out of the 132 patients in the study underwent the procedure and reported still having menstrual periods and 37 children had been born to 24 of the women after their cancer treatment. Compared to the controls, the cancer survivors had higher reproductive concerns, less sexual pleasure. However they scored higher in terms of relationships with significant others, either within marriage or outside of marriage.

Dr. David M. Gershenson said that only half the patients had the fertility-sparing surgery, which "is much too low and reflects the fact that many of the patients underwent primary surgery by non-subspecialists who performed unnecessary sterilizing surgery in many cases."


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