Ovarian metastases in young women with colorectal cancer: a retrospective multicenter cohort study

Background and purpose Previous studies indicated that approximately 3.4% of female colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are at increased risk of developing ovarian metastases (OM). It has been suggested that young women more frequently develop this form of metastatic disease. Methods This study evaluated, in 6 Dutch hospitals, the proportion of young women with CRC who developed OM. Results In a cohort of 200 young (age ≤ 55) women with CRC, the proportion of patients diagnosed with synchronous or metachronous OM was calculated. This study revealed that 5% ( n = 10 ) of young female CRC patients developed ovarian metastases resulting in a 5-year overall survival rate of approximately 40%. Furthermore, six patients had concurrent peritoneal metastases, five patients had bilateral ovarian metastases, and five patients had synchronous metastases, while the median time of the occurrence of metachronous metastases ( n = 5 ) was 19 months. Conclusion This retrospective multicenter cohort study indicates that 5% of young women with CRC either present with or develop OM. This result appears to be clinically relevant and demonstrates the need for improved surveillance for young women diagnosed with CRC.