Ovarian Cancer Health Center

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 dysgerminoma or another type of germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may include the following:

• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without lymphangiography (an x-ray study of the lymph system, the tissues and organs that filter and destroy harmful substances and help fight infection and disease) or CT scan (a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine).
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by observation (closely monitoring a patient's condition without giving any treatment until symptoms appear or change).
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by radiation therapy.
• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Treatment of other 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 dysgerminoma or another type of 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 germ cell tumors may include the following:

• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by combination chemotherapy.
• Second-look surgery (surgery performed after primary treatment to determine whether tumorcells remain).
• A clinical trial of new treatment options.

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 dysgerminoma or another type of germ cell tumor.

Treatment of dysgerminoma may include the following:

• Total abdominalhysterectomy 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 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 surgery (surgery performed after primary treatment to determine whether tumor cells remain).
• A clinical trial of new treatment options.