A Study of Ovarian Dysfunction after Chemotherapy in Cancer Survivals

Kim, Young Jae; Cho, Sam Hyun; Kim, Seung Ryong; Cho, Soo Hyun; Kim, Kyung Tai; Ryu, Ki Young; Yoo, Jung Bae

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We analysed the duration of ovarian dysfunction, amenorrhea and pregnancy rate of the patients who underwent the fertility preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy at the reproductive age to identify the contributing factors of ovarian dysfunction and premature menopause.
METHODS
We select the 25 patients (<40 years old at diagnosis) among the 270 patients with malignant ovarian tumor who undergone conservative surgery and platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy between the year 1985 and 2001. All patient was disease free state. Method used for follow up were physical exam, tumor markers and ultrasonography. We analysed age at diagnosis, amenorrheic period, recovery of ovarian function whether hormonal agent was used or not, times of pregnancy, times of successful pregnancy, and times of pregnancy outcome with anomaly.
RESULTS
In 25 cases, patients who became pregnant had a shorter period of amenorrhea of 2.55 months compared to 20.47 months of the rest. Total times (Kur) of chemotherapy shows no difference between two groups (6.45 vs 6.33). Average age show no differences between two groups (22.43 years vs 22.9 years), but amenorrheic period increased in proportion to age at treatment and times of chemotheapy, so we can guess that ovarian dysfunction is more serious with higher age at diagnosis and many times of chemotherapy. In the group who had been pregnant, successful outcome were 7 of 9 total times of pregnancy (abortion rate was 22%), and no baby had gross anomaly.
CONCLUSION
So we can guess that ovarian dysfunction is more serious with higher age at diagnosis and more times of chemotherapy.