The Impact of Surgical Staging on the Prognosis of Mucinous Borderline Tumors of the Ovaries: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The purpose of this study was to prove the effect of complete surgical staging of patients with mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (mBOTs) especially appendectomy on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The database of 14 gynecological oncology departments from Turkey and Germany were comprehensively searched for women who underwent primary surgery for an ovarian tumor between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2015, and whose final diagnosis was mBOT.

RESULTS: A total of 364 patients with mBOT with a median age of 43.1 years were included in this analysis. The median OS of all patients was 53.1 months. The majority of cases had Stage IA (78.6%). In univariate and multivariate analyses, radical surgery, omentectomy, appendectomy, lymphadenectomy, and adding adjuvant chemotherapy were not independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Furthermore, FIGO stage (≥IC vs. <IC), radical surgery, and staging surgery were not independent risk factors for recurrence of mBOTs. Finally, abnormal macroscopic appendix and FIGO stage (≥IC vs. <IC) were independent risk factors for appendiceal involvement (p=0.032).

CONCLUSION: Patients with conservative surgery do not have higher recurrence rates. Fertility-sparing surgery should be considered in the reproductive age group. Detailed surgical staging including lymphadenectomy, appendectomy, and omentectomy does not have an impact on survival rates.