Clinical Characteristics of Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer: A Retrospective Multicenter Experience of 308 Patients in South Korea

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate clinical characteristics and treatment pattern of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) in Korea and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in early stage

Materials and Methods: Medical records of 308 cases of from 21 institutions were reviewed and data including age, performance status, endometriosis, thromboembolism, stage, CA-125, treatment, recurrence, and death were collected.

Results: Regarding stage of OCCC, it was stage I in 194 (63.6%), stage II in 34 (11.1%), stage III in 66 (21.6%), and stage IV in 11 (3.6%) patients. All patients underwent surgery. Optimal surgery (residual disease ≤1cm) was achieved in 89.3%. Majority (80.5%) of patients received postoperative chemotherapy. The most common regimen was taxane-platinum combination (96%). Median relapse-free survival (RFS) was 138.5 months for stage I, 33.4 for stage II, 19.3 for stage III, and 9.7 for stage IV. Median overall survival (OS) were not reached, 112.4, 48.7, and 18.3 months for stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Early stage (stage I), endometriosis, and optimal debulking were identified as favorable prognostic factors for RFS. Early stage and optimal debulking were also favorable prognostic factors for OS. Majority of patients with early stage received adjuvant chemotherapy. However, additional survival benefit was not found in terms of recurrence.

Conclusion: Majority of patients had early stage and received postoperative chemotherapy regardless of stage. Early stage and optimal debulking were identified as favorable prognostic factors. In stage IA or IB, adding adjuvant chemotherapy did not show difference in survival. Further study focusing on OCCC is required.