Conservative and radical treatment of borderline ovarian tumors: the experience of the Oncology Institute of the Republic of Moldova (2010–2024)

Abstract

Introduction. Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) represent an intermediate entity between benign and malignant ovarian neoplasms, frequently affecting young women. Surgical treatment, either conservative or radical, must be tailored based on age, disease stage, and fertility desires. Material and methods. A retrospective-prospective cohort study was conducted on 156 patients surgically treated for BOTs. The types of surgical interventions, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy, and their distribution based on clinico-morphological parameters were analyzed. Results. Radical surgery was performed in 78.8% of cases, and conservative surgery in 21.2%. Radical procedures included total hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy and omentectomy. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 50% of patients, mainly using CP or CAP regimens. Conclusions. Therapeutic decision-making in BOTs should consider patient age, fertility preservation, and recurrence risk. In the absence of firm international consensus on chemotherapy, a standardized algorithm is needed to guide safe conservative approaches.