Fertility-Sparing Surgery in Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review

Background: Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in women of reproductive age; however, this coincidence seems to increase due to changes in lifestyle. Available evidence on the prognostic impact of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is sparse, and there is an emerging need to consolidate such evidence. Materials and Methods: Systematic review of the literature, including testing for heterogeneity and meta-analytical odds ratio (OR) calculations. Results: 15 studies comprising 913 patients met the inclusion criteria for this review. Out of the 913 patients undergoing FSS, 11.4% developed recurrence during observation. Stage IB/C tumors were nearly twice as likely to recur as stage IA tumors (OR 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-2.64, p < 0.05), and the risk of recurrence was 4 times higher in G2/3 compared to G1 tumors (4.26, 95% CI 2.31-7.86, p < 0.0001; and stage IC/G2/3 vs. stage IC/G1: OR 2.04, 95% CI 0.86-4.85, p > 0.05). A non-significant risk elevation was attributed to stage IC/G1 compared to stage IA/G1 (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.66-3.16, p > 0.05). Conclusions: FSS with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is only advisable for unilateral grade 1 tumors. Further studies employing contemporary classification criteria, such as low- versus high-grade malignancies, a strictly standardized regimen of surgical staging, and meticulous reporting of recurrence localization, may help develop more differentiated recommendations.