RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effect of omentectomy on the prognosis and fertility in patients with clinically early-stage (I, II) malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCT). DESIGN: A retrospective multicentre study. SETTING: Four university teaching hospitals in China. POPULATION: A total of 268 patients with clinically apparent early-stage (I, II) MOGCT. METHODS: Data were obtained from the medical records. Additionally, the propensity score matching (PSM) algorithm was adopted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prognostic outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Fertility outcomes were pregnancy and live birth rates. RESULTS: A total of 187 (69.8%) patients underwent omentectomy. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant differences in DFS and OS between the omentectomy and non-omentectomy groups before and after PSM (p > 0.05). Additionally, subgroup analysis stratified by age (<18 and ≥18 years) showed similar results. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage was the only risk factor associated with DFS (hazard ratio [HR] 14.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.47-48.38, p < 0.001) and OS (HR 37.36, 95% CI 3.87-361.16, p = 0.002). Pregnancy and live birth rates in the total population were 80.3% and 66.7%, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups before and after PSM. CONCLUSIONS: Omentectomy did not improve survival or affect fertility in patients with clinically apparent early-stage (I, II) MOGCT, regardless of the age. The clinical FIGO stage was an independent risk factor for recurrence and death.