Outcomes and prognostic factors of patients with recurrent and persistent malignant ovarian germ cell tumors

Due to the rarity of recurrent and persistent malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs), there is no standardized protocol for salvage therapy. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes and prognostic factors of patients with recurrent and persistent MOGCTs. Clinical data for 59 patients with recurrent and persistent MOGCTs admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2000, to April 30, 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-one cases (35.6%) were recurrent, and 38 (64.4%) were persistent. Patient age ranged from 1 to 39 years, and disease stage was as follows: 33 stage I, 4 stage II, 21 stage III, and 1 stage IV. There were 19 immature teratomas, 26 yolk sac tumors, 1 dysgerminoma, and 13 mixed germ cell tumors. Regarding the primary surgery, fertility was preserved in 49 patients and not preserved in 10 patients. Among the patients who underwent fertility-preserving primary surgery, 40 had fertility preserved in the second operation, and 9 did not. In the mean follow-up of 52.6 months (range 2–279 months) after recurrence, 19 patients (32.2%) experienced a second relapse, and 16 (27.1%) died. The 5-year survival and progression-free survival rates after relapse were 70.0% and 67.0%, respectively. The optimal salvage surgery and chemotherapy regimen after relapse were independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05). The prognosis of recurrent and persistent MOGCTs was good after salvage therapy. The optimal salvage surgery and adjuvant standardized chemotherapy significantly impact patient prognosis. For young nulliparous patients, secondary fertility-sparing salvage therapy can be considered.