Some ovarian cancer patients can preserve fertility

August 10, 2009 Researchers at Columbia University found that survival rates the first five years after a cancer diagnosis were similar between women who had one ovary or their uterus spared and those who had them removed.

Doctors looked at more than 4,000 ovarian cancer patients aged 50 or younger who had surgery for the disease during a six-year period. About 400 had an ovary conserved and around 650 had uterine preservation. Doctors found that their survival rates generally matched their counterparts who had the full hysterectomy or ovary removal.

The study is published in the September 15 issue of Cancer.