The authors conducted this study to update their experience with patients who have ovarian serous borderline tumors with noninvasive peritoneal implants, with the objectives of gaining additional insight into the biologic behavior of these tumors and understanding better the effects of postoperative treatment.

Seventy-three patients who had ovarian serous borderline tumors with noninvasive peritoneal implants were identified in a retrospective review. Major end points selected for analysis were surgicopathologic response, time to relapse, type of relapse, progression free survival, and overall survival. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were also performed.

The median follow-up time was 10.3 years. Of 20 patients with macroscopic residual disease at completion of initial surgery who subsequently underwent second-look surgery, 3 (15%) had a response to chemotherapy. Twenty-two of 73 patients (30%) either developed progressive disease or had a relapse. The median time from the date of diagnosis to relapse was 7.1 years. Tissue was available from 20 of the 22 patients who had a relapse; 14 (70%) had invasive low grade serous carcinomas, and 6 (30%) had recurrent borderline tumors. Age was the only factor studied that had a significant influence on survival (P = 0.03). In both univariate and multivariate proportional hazards models, age and residual disease were found to be of borderline significance in predicting cancer specific survival.

Approximately 30% of patients who have ovarian serous borderline tumors with noninvasive peritoneal implants will develop progressive or recurrent tumors, most commonly serous carcinomas. The presence of macroscopic residual disease appears to be a predictor of disease free survival. In this study, however, the authors were unable to elucidate the role of postoperative therapy or determine criteria for selecting patients for such therapy.