Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (MBOTs), with an emphasis on the risk factors for recurrence.

Methods Data of 76 patients with MBOT diagnosed and treated between 2000 and 2007 at a single institution were analyzed in this retrospective study. The clinicopathologic features of different tumor subgroups were analyzed, including pathology, surgical methodology, recurrence, and overall survival.

Results The median patient age was 40 years (13–85 years). Forty-six patients with gastrointestinal mucinous borderline tumors (intestinal MBOTs) (73.7%) and 20 patients with endocervical MBOT (26.3%) were identified. Forty radical surgeries and 26 conservative surgeries were performed. There were 74.6% patients (50/67) with stage I disease among the 67 patients who received comprehensive surgical staging.

During a median follow-up time of 151 months, 9 recurrences were identified. Median duration from surgery to recurrence was 26.4 months (range, 13–50 months). There was no difference in recurrence rate between intestinal MBOT and endocervical MBOT (14.3% vs 5.0%; P > 0.05). The recurrence rate of stage III tumors was significantly higher than that of stage I (33.3% vs 8%; P < 0.05). The recurrence rate after conservative surgery was higher than that after radical procedures (21.4% vs 6.3%; P < 0.05).

Conclusions The majority of patients with MBOT had a favorable prognosis. Patients with later-stage disease had a higher recurrence rate.