The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of clear cell carcinoma of the ovary.

Between 1993 and 2001, 23 patients with clear cell carcinoma of ovary treated in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Catholic University Medical College were identified and reviewed retrospectively for patient profiles, International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) disease stage, mode of therapy, and length of survival.

Median age was 47 years (range 36-68 years). Tumors were 60.9% (14/23) stage I, 4.31% (1/23) stage II, 35.28% (8/23) stage III. All patients presented with a pelvic mass ranging in size from 5 cm to 27 cm. Of the patients with clear cell carcinoma, six (26.1%) had associated endometriosis. All patients underwent cytoreductive surgery followed by postoperative chemotherapy. The median follow up for surviving patients is 48.15 months (range 0.9 to 95.4 months). The overall 3-year survival rates were 69.5%. The survival was 38.6 months.

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary is intriguing histologic type of epithelial cancer and demonstrates a clinical behavior distinctly different from that of other epithelial ovarian cancer. Predictors of survival for patients with clear cell carcinoma of the ovary needs to be further investigated by randomized large number study.