Is there a justification for hysterectomy in patients with borderline ovarian tumors?

The impact of hysterectomy on oncological outcomes in postmenopausal patients with borderline ovarian tumors: A multicenter retrospective study

Data about the oncological outcomes in women with borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) undergoing uterine-sparing surgery without ovarian preservation are poor. We aimed to assess the oncological outcomes in women with BOT undergoing uterine-sparing surgery without ovarian preservation. A multi-center observational retrospective cohort study was performed including all consecutive postmenopausal patients who underwent surgical treatment for BOT at three tertiary level referral centers for gynecologic oncology from January 2005 to December 2016. Patients were divided into two groups for comparisons: patients undergoing hysterectomy (hysterectomy group) and patients undergoing uterine-sparing surgery (no hysterectomy group). Study outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and surgical complications rate. Ninety-eight patients were included: 44 in the hysterectomy group and 54 in the no hysterectomy group. The 5- and 10-year DFS rates were 97.7% (95% CI: 84.9–99.7) and 92.3% (95% CI: 69.7–98.2), in the hysterectomy group, and 86.8% (95% CI: 74.3–93.5) and 86.8% (95% CI: 74.3–93.5), in the no hysterectomy group, respectively, without significant differences (p=0.16). Hazard ratio for DFS was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.06–1.68) for the hysterectomy group. The 5- and 10-year OS rates were 100.0% (95% CI: -) and 100.0% (95% CI: -), in the hysterectomy group, and 98.2% (95% CI: 87.6–99.7) and 94.4% (95% CI: 77.7–98.7), in the no hysterectomy group, respectively, without significant differences (p=0.23). No significant difference in complication rate was reported among the groups (p=0.48). As hysterectomy appears to not impact survival outcomes of women with BOT, it might be avoided in the surgical staging.

Second fertility-sparing surgery and fertility-outcomes in patients with recurrent borderline ovarian tumors

Background

At the time of recurrence, many borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) patients are still young with fertility needs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reproductive outcomes and recurrence rate of second fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) in women with recurrent BOTs.

Methods

Seventy-eight women of childbearing age diagnosed with recurrent BOTs from November 2009 to 2020 whose primary treatment was FSS were included.

Results

The FIGO stage I disease accounted for 46.2% and serous BOT accounted for 87.2% in the study group. Forty-seven patients underwent second FSS, and the remaining 31 underwent radical surgery (RS). Seventeen patients relapsed again after second surgery, but no malignant transformation and tumor-associated deaths were reported. Compared to FIGO stage I, the FIGO stage III tumors were more likely to relapse, but there was no statistical difference in pregnancy rate among patients with different stages. In the second FSS group, recurrence rate was higher in patients who underwent oophorocystectomy compared to patients with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO), but the pregnancy rate was similar. There was no significant difference in postoperative recurrence risk between USO and RS. The recurrence rate was not associated with operative route (laparoscopy or laparotomy), or lymphadenectomy, or postoperative chemotherapy. Among the 32 patients who tried to conceive, the pregnancy rate was 46.9% and live birth rate was 81.3%.

Conclusion

Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is a safe procedure for FIGO stage I recurrent BOT patients with fertility needs, and can achieve a high postoperative pregnancy rate and live birth rate.

The usefulness of intraoperative consultation for the diagnosis of borderline ovarian tumors

Background

Borderline ovarian tumors (BTs) must be recognized during the surgery by intraoperative consultation (IOC) to guide surgical treatment; however, this diagnosis can be imprecise. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of IOC for the diagnosis of BT.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was carried out including all women diagnosed with a pelvic tumor consecutively surgically treated from 2005 to 2015 with IOC. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and likelihood ratios (LR) for the IOC and BTs.

Results

A total of 758 patients were enrolled, the median age was 44 years, the median tumor size was 11.8 cm, and the median CA-125 levels were 45.65 U/µL. After IOC, 458 (64.1%) cases were diagnosed as benign, 111 (14.7%) as BT, and 161 (21.2%) as malignant. The definitive diagnosis was a benign tumor in 448 (59.1%) cases, BT in 110 (14.5%), and 200 (26.4%) cases were malignant. The diagnostic accuracy of the IOC for BT diagnosis was 89.8% (sensitivity =65.5%, specificity =93.9%). The diagnosis performance of IOC for the diagnosis between BT and benign tumors (n=546) had a sensitivity of 69.9%, a specificity of 98.4%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 84%; meanwhile for the diagnosis between BT and malignant tumors (n=242) IOC had a sensitivity of 92.3%, a specificity of 81.7%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 87%.

Conclusions

For practitioners, knowing the accuracy and limitations of the IOC for BT enables the better selection of cases to perform a complete staging surgery.

[Borderline Ovarian Tumours: CNGOF Guidelines for Clinical Practice - Therapeutic Management of Early Stages]

OBJECTIVES

To provide guidelines for clinical practice from the French College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CNGOF), based on the best evidence available, concerning early stage borderline ovarian tumors (BOT).

METHODS

Bibliographical search in French and English languages by consultation of Pubmed, Cochrane, Embase, and international databases.

RESULTS

Considering management of early stage BOT, if surgery is possible without a risk of tumor rupture, the laparoscopic approach is recommended compared to laparotomy (Grade C). In BOT, it is recommended to take all the measures to avoid tumor rupture, including the peroperative decision of laparoconversion (Grade C). In BOT, extraction of the surgical specimen using an endoscopic bag is recommended (Grade C). In case of early stage, uni or bilateral BOT, suspected in preoperative imaging in a postmenopausal patient, bilateral adnexectomy is recommended (Grade B). In cases of bilateral BOT and desire of fertility preservation, a bilateral cystectomy is recommended (Grade B). In case of mucinous BOT and desire of fertility preservation, it is recommended to perform a unilateral adnexectomy (Grade C). In case of endometrioid BOT and desire of fertility preservation, it is not possible to establish a recommendation of treatment choice between cystectomy and unilateral adnexectomy. In case of mucinous BOT at definitive histological analysis in a woman of childbearing age who had an initial cystectomy, surgical revision for unilateral adnexectomy is recommended (Grade C). In the case of serous BOT with definitive histological analysis in a woman of childbearing age who has had an initial cystectomy, it is not recommended to repeat surgery for adnexectomy in the absence of residual suspicious lesion during initial surgery and/or on postoperative imaging (referent ultrasound or pelvic MRI) (Grade C). An omentectomy is recommended for complete initial surgical staging when BOT is diagnosed on extemporaneous analysis or suspected on preoperative radiological elements (Grade B). There is no data in the literature to recommend the type of omentectomy to be performed. If restaging surgery is decided for a presumed early stage BOT, an omentectomy is recommended (Grade B). Multiple peritoneal biopsies are recommended for complete initial surgical staging when BOT is diagnosed on extemporaneous or suspected on preoperative radiological elements (Grade C). In case of restaging surgery for a presumed early stage BOT, exploration of the abdominal cavity should be complete and peritoneal biopsies should be performed on suspicious areas or systematically (Grade C). A primary peritoneal cytology is recommended in order to achieve complete initial surgical staging when BOT is suspected on preoperative radiological elements (Grade C). In case of restaging surgery for presumed early stage BOT, a first peritoneal cytology is recommended (Grade C). For early serous or mucinous BOT, it is not recommended to perform a systematic hysterectomy (Grade C). For early stage endometrioid BOT, and in the absence of a desire to maintain fertility, hysterectomy is recommended for initial surgery or if restaging surgery is indicated (Grade C). For endometrioid-type early stage BOT, if there is a desire for fertility preservation, the uterus may be retained subject to good evaluation of the endometrium by imaging and endometrial sampling (Grade C). In case of surgery (initial or restaging if indicated) for early stage BOT, it is recommended to evaluate the macroscopic appearance of the appendix (Grade B). In case of surgery (initial or restaging if indicated) for early stage BOT, appendectomy is recommended only in case of macroscopically pathological appearance of the appendix (Grade C). Pelvic and lumbar aortic lymphadenectomy is not recommended for initial surgery or restaging surgery for early stage BOT regardless of histologic type (Grade C). In case of BOT diagnosed on definitive histology, the indication of restaging surgery should be discussed in Multidisciplinary Collaborative Meeting. For presumed early stage BOT, it is recommended to use the laparoscopic approach to perform restaging surgery (Grade C). Restaging surgery is recommended for serous BOT with micropapillary appearance and unsatisfactory abdominal cavity inspection during initial surgery (Grade C). Restaging surgery is recommended in case of mucinous BOT if only a cystectomy has been performed or the appendix has not been visualized, then a unilateral adnexectomy will be performed (Grade C). If a restaging surgery is decided in the management of a presumed early stage BOT, the actions to be carried out are as follows: a peritoneal cytology (Grade C), an omentectomy (there is no data in the literature recommending the type of omentectomy to be performed) (Grade B), a complete exploration of the abdominal cavity with peritoneal biopsies on suspect areas or systematically (Grade C), visualization of the appendix± the appendectomy in case of pathological macroscopic appearance (Grade C), unilateral adnexectomy in case of mucinous TFO (Grade C).

Utero-ovarian preservation and overall survival of young women with early-stage borderline ovarian tumors

PURPOSE

To examine survival of women who had uterine and ovarian preservation during surgical treatment for early-stage borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs).

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program was used to identify women aged < 50 years with stage I BOTs who underwent ovarian conservation at surgical treatment between 1988 and 2003. Survival outcomes were examined based on the use of concurrent hysterectomy at surgery.

RESULTS

Among 6379 cases of BOT, there were 1065 women who had utero-ovarian preservation at surgery, and there were 52 women who had hysterectomy with ovarian preservation alone. Women who had uterine preservation were more likely to be single and diagnosed in recent years (both, P < 0.05). On univariable analysis, women who had utero-ovarian preservation had cause-specific survival similar to those who had ovarian preservation alone without uterine preservation (10-year rates: 99.2% versus 98.1%, P = 0.42); however, overall survival was higher in the utero-ovarian preservation group compared to the hysterectomy group (95.8% versus 87.6%, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, utero-ovarian preservation remained an independent prognostic factor for improved overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.79, P = 0.012). Cardiovascular disease mortality was lower in the utero-ovarian preservation group compared to the hysterectomy group, but it did not reach statistical significance (20-year cumulative rate, 0.8% versus 3.0%, P = 0.29).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that utero-ovarian preservation for young women with early-stage BOTs may be associated with improved overall survival compared to ovarian preservation alone without affecting BOT-related survival outcome.

Role of hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy in the management of early-stage borderline ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE

To examine survival of women with stage T1 borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) stratified by hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy status at surgery.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study examining The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program to identify surgically-treated stage T1 BOTs between 1988 and 2003 (n=4943). Association of surgery patterns and cause-specific survival (CSS) was examined in multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

Mean age was 48.7. The majority had stage T1a disease (75.3%). Median follow-up was 15.6years and 159 (3.2%) women died of BOTs. Hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy were performed in 1909 (38.6%) and 1295 (26.2%) cases, respectively. Most commonly, neither procedure was performed (46.5%), followed by hysterectomy alone (27.3%), lymphadenectomy alone (14.9%), and both procedures (11.3%). Surgery patterns for hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy significantly differed across age, ethnicity, marital status, registry area, year at diagnosis, histology type, sub-stage, and tumor size (all, P<0.001). On multivariable analysis, surgery patterns for hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy were not associated with CSS: 20-year rates for neither hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy 96.7%, hysterectomy alone 94.5%, lymphadenectomy alone 95.7%, and both procedures 95.2% (adjusted-P>0.05). Age≥50, T1b-c stages, and mucinous histology remained independent prognostic factors for decreased CSS (all, P<0.05). Among 3723 women with stage T1a disease, hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy patterns were not associated with CSS in 2115 women aged <50 (P=0.14) and 1608 women aged ≥50 (P=0.48).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that both hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy may be omitted in the surgical management of women with stage T1 BOTs, especially for those with T1a disease regardless of age.