Treatment will depend on the age of the child and the specific tumor type. Surgery is the most common form of treatment for ovarian germ cell tumor. A doctor may take out the cancer using one of the following operations:

• Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: taking out the ovary with the cancer and the fallopian tube on the same side



• Tumor debulking: taking out as much of the cancer as possible

Treatment for young girls with early stage ovarian germ cell tumor will be unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Treatment for young girls with advanced stage ovarian germ cell tumor will be unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without chemotherapy.

The treatment for adolescents and young adults with ovarian germ cell tumor is similar to the treatment for adults. (Refer to the PDQ summary on Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors ¹ for more information.)

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with childhood malignant ovarian germ cell tumor ².

Glossary Terms

Cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.

A slender tube through which eggs pass from an ovary to the uterus. In the female reproductive tract, there is one ovary and one fallopian tube on each side of the uterus.

An abnormal mass of tissue that forms in germ (egg) cells in the ovary (female reproductive gland in which the eggs are formed). These tumors usually occur in teenage girls or young women, usually affect just one ovary, and can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). The most common ovarian germ cell tumor is called dysgerminoma.

One of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed. The ovaries are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus.

PDQ is an online database developed and maintained by the National Cancer Institute. Designed to make the most current, credible, and accurate cancer information available to health professionals and the public, PDQ contains peer-reviewed summaries on cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, complementary and alternative medicine, and supportive care; a registry of cancer clinical trials from around the world; and directories of physicians, professionals who provide genetics services, and organizations that provide cancer care. Most of this information, and more specific information about PDQ, can be found on the NCI's Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq. Also called Physician Data Query.

The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether the cancer has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.

An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Also called neoplasm.

Surgical removal of as much of a tumor as possible. Tumor debulking may increase the chance that chemotherapy or radiation therapy will kill all the tumor cells. It may also be done to relieve symptoms or help the patient live longer. Also called debulking.

Surgery to remove the ovary and fallopian tube on one side of the body.