Treatment Options By Stage

Stage I Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors
Stage II Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors
Stage III Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors
Stage IV Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Stage I Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment depends on whether the tumor is a dysgerminoma or another type of ovarian germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may include the following:

• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without lymphangiography or CT scan.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by observation.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by radiation therapy.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Treatment of other ovarian germ cell tumors may be either:

• unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by careful observation; or
• unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, sometimes followed by combination chemotherapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage I ovarian germ cell tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage II Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment depends on whether the tumor is a dysgerminoma or another type of ovarian germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may be either:

• total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by radiation therapy or combination chemotherapy; or
• unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Treatment of other ovarian germ cell tumors may include the following:

• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by combination chemotherapy.
• Second-look laparotomy (surgery done after primary treatment to see if tumor cells remain).
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage II ovarian germ cell tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage III Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment depends on whether the tumor is a dysgerminoma or another type of ovarian germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may include the following:

• Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with removal of as much of the cancer in the pelvis and abdomen as possible.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Treatment of other ovarian germ cell tumors may include the following:

• Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with removal of as much of the cancer in the pelvis and abdomen as possible. Chemotherapy will be given before and/or after surgery.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.
• Second-look laparotomy (surgery done after primary treatment to see if tumor cells remain).
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage III ovarian germ cell tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage IV Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment depends on whether the tumor is a dysgerminoma or another type of ovarian germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may include the following:

• Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy, with removal of as much of the cancer in the pelvis and abdomen as possible.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Treatment of other ovarian germ cell tumors may include the following:

• Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with removal of as much of the cancer in the pelvis and abdomen as possible. Chemotherapy will be given before and/or after surgery.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.
• Second-look laparotomy (surgery done after primary treatment to see if tumor cells remain).
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage IV ovarian germ cell tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.