Treatment Result of Ovarian Dysgerminoma

Shin, Seong Soo; Park, Suk Won; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Ha, Sung Whan

Abstract

PURPOSE
Ovarian dysgerminoma is a highly radiosensitive malignant tumor occurring in young age group. The conventional treatment was total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by radiotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed the treatment results of patients who had received radiotherapy in the era before chemotherapy was widely used. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Twenty two patients with ovarian dysgerminoma were treated at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital between August, 1980 and May, 1991. Four patients were excluded from this study, because three patients received incomplete treatment and one received combined chemotherapy. Sixteen patients received postoperative radiotherapy and two patients had radical radiotherapy as tumor was unresectable. Median follow-up period was 99 months (range, 51-178). Median age was 22 years (range, 11-42). Among the postoperatively treated patients, three patients were in stage IA, eight in stage IC, two in stage II, and three in stage III. One patient had Turner's syndrome. Radiotherapy was performed with high energy photon (telecobalt unit or linear accelerator, either 6MV or 10MV). The radiation dose to the whole abdomen was 1950-2100cGy (median, 2000) and 1050-2520cGy was added to the whole pelvis, the total dose to the whole pelvis was 3000-4500cGy (median, 3500). Prophylactic paraaortic area irradiation was done in six patients (dose range, 900-1500cGy). One patient who had positive paraaortic node, received radiation dose of 1620cGy, followed by additional 900cGy to the gross mass with shrinking field. Total dose to the paraaortic node was 4470cGy. Six patients, including one who had paraaortic node metastasis, received prophylactic irradiation to mediastinum and supraclavicular area (2520cGy). Of the two patients with unresectable tumors who received radical radiotherapy, one was in stage III and the other wasin stage IV with left supraclavicular lymph node metastasis. The stage III patient received radiation to the whole abdomen (2000cGy), followed by boost to whole pelvis (2070cGy) and paraaortic area (2450cGy). Stage IV patient received radiation to the whole abdomen (2000cGy), followed by radiation to the whole pelvis and paraaortic area (2400cGy), mediastinum (2520cGy), and left supraclavicular area (3550cGy). RESULT: The 5 year local control rate was 100% in patients who received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy after total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Only one patient in stage III who did not receive prophylactic irradiation to mediastinum developed mediastinal metastasis, but was salvaged by chemotherapy. So, the 5 year overall survival rate was also 100%. Two patients who received radiation only, are alive without disease at 112 and 155 months.
CONCLUSION
Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy as well as radical radiotherapy in unresectable ovarian dysgerminoma was very effective. But chemotherapy is also an effective treatment modality. We now recommend chemotherapy for patients who need to save their ovarian function and reserve radiotherapy for chemo-resistant tumor or recurrence after chemotherapy.