Laparoscopic fertility-sparing surgery for early ovarian epithelial cancer: A multi-institutional experience.

OBJECTIVE: There is as yet limited evidence about fertility-sparing surgery for early ovarian cancer (EOC) carried out laparoscopically. We sought to investigate the safety, adequacy and fertility outcome of ovarian cancer patients who underwent fertility-saving laparoscopic surgical staging using a multi-institutional sample. METHODS: Prospectively collected data in five gynecologic oncology service databases were searched for epithelial EOC patients undergoing laparoscopic fertility-preserving surgery. Surgical, pathologic, oncologic and reproductive outcome data were analysed. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 65 women. Median age of the patients was 33 (range: 21-42) years. In this cohort 36 (55.4%) and 29 (44.6%) patients were at low risk (FIGO stage IA G1-2) and high-risk (FIGO stage IA G3 or more), respectively. The disease was reclassified to a higher stage in 4 (6.1%) women. After a median follow up period of 38months (range: 2-144), the overall survival was 95.4% and recurrence-free survival 84.6%. Overall, there were 23 pregnancies in 22 women. After ovarian cancer treatment, 64.8% women reported pregnancy intent and 60% of these conceived spontaneously.