Development and internal validation of a prognostic model for survival after debulking surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective

Predicting survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is based on prognosis of the population. Combining prognostic factors could facilitate survival prediction on the level of the individual patient. The aim of this study was to develop a prognostic model to predict five-year disease specific survival in patients with EOC, and to evaluate whether this would add to prediction based on prognosis of the population.

Patients and methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed of all EOC patients treated with primary debulking and adjuvant chemotherapy or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery in three gynaecological-oncologic centres between 1998 and 2010. Primary outcome was 5-year disease-specific survival. We developed a Cox proportional hazard model using the LASSO-method to select the best combination of characteristics from 12 potential predictors and to correct for overfitting. Performance of the model was expressed as calibration and discrimination (c-statistic). A nomogram was developed to increase the clinical applicability of the model.

Results

Of 840 patients with EOC 462 (55%) died within 5 years due to the disease. A combination of FIGO stage, residual tumour after surgery, primary or interval surgery, histology, performance status, age, amount of ascites and a family history suggestive of breast/ovarian cancer best predicted 5-year survival. The final model showed accurate calibration and the c-statistic was 0.71 (95% CI 0.69–0.74).

Conclusions

Five-year survival in all stage EOC patients can be predicted accurately using available characteristics. After external validation the model can be used for counselling of patients.     

卵巢上皮性癌生存率及预后因素分析

目的 :研究影响卵巢上皮性癌 (EOC)生存率和预后的诸因素。方法 :回顾分析EOC 16 4例的临床病理及随访资料。结果 :患者 3、5、10年生存率分别为 6 3.0 %、4 4 .7%、4 0 .2 %。 5年生存率 :临床Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期分别为 90 .0 %、72 .7%、35 .9%、15 .0 % ;G1、G2 、G3分别为 81.4 %、5 0 .5 %、2 5 .0 % ;宫内膜样癌为 6 2 .1% ,未分类腺癌、粘液性癌和浆液性癌分别为 2 4 .4 %、32 .7%、4 0 .5 % ;初次手术时有腹水为 39.9% ,无腹水为 6 8.3% ;初次手术后残留癌灶 >2cm为 7.4 % ,≤ 2cm为 35 .5 % ,无肉眼残留癌灶为 70 .8%。中、晚期初次手术后化疗疗程数≥ 6个、1～ 5个及未化疗者 5年生存率分别为 5 8.8%、2 3.6 %、0。结论 :肿瘤的组织类型、细胞分级、临床分期、初次手术时腹水、初次手术后残留癌灶大小是影响生存率和预后的重要因素 ,中晚期EOC初次手术后化疗疗程是否足够与生存率明显相关     

Prognostic assessment in stage I ovarian cancer using a discriminant analysis with clinicopathological and DNA flow cytometric data

We have previously defined three types of tumor DNA histograms, which are associated with favourable, intermediate and poor prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer. In the present study we evaluated the value of DNA histogram type combined with clinicopathological data in predicting long-term clinical outcome in stage I ovarian cancer. A stepwise discriminant analysis was done to find out the best combination of prognostic parameters in the distinction of two groups of stage I ovarian cancer patients; those with less than 5-year overall survival (22 cases) and those with longer than 5-year recurrence-free survival (47 cases). DNA histogram and histological type as well as FIGO stage in that order proved to be the most discriminating parameters and their combination allowed the correct prediction of clinical outcome in 78% of stage I ovarian cancer patients. In stage Ia the proportion of correctly classified cases based on DNA histogram and histological type was 82%. If DNA histogram was omitted from the discriminant analysis, the combination stage and histological type correctly classified a significantly lower percentage (68%) of patients. DNA flow cytometry thus improved the prognostic evaluation in stage I ovarian cancer, but even when combined with conventional clinicopathological factors failed to give correct prognostic assessment in about 20% of patients with stage I ovarian cancer.     

Surgical treatment of diaphragm disease correlates with improved survival in optimally debulked advanced stage ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND: Diaphragm involvement by ovarian cancer is often considered to be a major obstacle to successful cytoreductive surgery. Lack of evidence of survival benefit, concerns over safety and lack of experience are common justifications for this belief. In this study, we sought to evaluate the therapeutic value of diaphragmatic surgery in advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: Relevant data from all consecutive patients with stage IIIC and IV epithelial ovarian cancer, primarily operated at Mayo Clinic from 1994 through 1998, were collected and analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using chi(2) test, Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier curves including log rank test. For comparison of trends in performing procedures, an additional 91 consecutive patients undergoing surgery from August 1, 2002 and August 31, 2004 were analyzed. RESULTS: 244 eligible patients were identified. Mean age was 64 years (range: 24-87), and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 31.5%. For the entire cohort, residual disease (RD) was the only independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (P < 0.0001) when considering other factors including demographic, intraoperative findings and procedures performed. For the subgroup of patients with tumor involving the diaphragm (N = 181), patients who underwent diaphragm surgery (stripping of the diaphragmatic peritoneum, full or partial thickness diaphragm resection, excision of nodules or CUSA) had improved 5-year OS relative to those that did not (53% vs. 15%; P < 0.0001). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis of patients with diaphragm disease, both RD and performance of diaphragm surgery were independent predictors of outcome (P < 0.001). Considering the subgroup of patients with RD < 1 cm, we noted a strong survival advantage for those patients who underwent diaphragm surgical procedures (5-year survival: 55% vs. 28%; P = 0.0005). Over time, we noted a statistically significant increase in the rate of diaphragm procedures for patients with diaphragm involvement from 1994-98 relative to 2002-3 (22.5% vs. 40%: P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical procedures to treat diaphragm disease increase the rate of complete and optimal debulking and correlate with improved survival even compared to patients optimally debulked without diaphragm surgery performed.     

脾切除术治疗卵巢上皮性癌脾转移32例临床分析

目的 探讨卵巢上皮性癌(卵巢癌)脾转移的临床病理特点,分析脾切除术作为卵巢癌肿瘤细胞减灭术的一部分的可行性及预后因素.方法 采用回顾性研究方法,收集1998年1月至2006年6月在浙江省肿瘤医院行包括脾切除的肿瘤细胞减灭术的32例卵巢癌患者,对其临床病理及随访资料进行分析.结果 浆液性腺癌为23例(72%),9例(28%)为非浆液性腺癌;病理分级:G1 0例,G2 11例(34%),G3 21例(66%).术后20例无肉眼可见残余肿瘤,7例残余肿瘤直径≤2 cm,5例残余肿瘤直径＞2 cm.手术并发症发生率为25%(8/32),包括脾窝脓肿、腹壁切口感染、胃瘘、应激性胃溃疡、静脉血栓、不全肠梗阻等.中位随访时间为38个月(1～74个月),中位生存时间为50.9个月,2年、5年生存率分别为70%、36%.单因素分析显示病理分级、残余肿瘤有无、化疗疗程数影响预后(P均＜0.05);多因素分析显示,仅残余肿瘤有无及化疗疗程数与预后有关(P均＜0.05).结论 卵巢癌脾转移最常见的病理类型为低分化浆液性腺癌.对于卵巢癌脾转移患者,脾切除术作为肿瘤细胞减灭术的一部分是安全、有效的治疗方法;术后残余肿瘤有无、化疗疗程数是独立的预后因素.     

细胞周期调控基因p21和p27单核苷酸多态性与卵巢上皮性癌的关系

目的 探讨细胞周期调控基因p21和p27的单核苷酸多态性(SNP)与卵巢上皮性癌(卵巢癌)发病风险的关系.方法 采用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)方法检测234例卵巢癌患者(卵巢癌组)和284例健康妇女(对照组)p21基因C/T和p27基因V/G SNP位点基因型和等位基因的频率分布.结果 (1)对照组妇女p21基因的C/C、C/T和T/T基因型频率分别为34.2%、49.6%和16.2%,C和T等位基因频率分别为59.0%和41.0%;卵巢癌组患者3种基因型频率分别为28.2%、53.0%和18.8%,C和T等位基因频率分别为54.7%和45.3%.两组基因型频率和等位基因频率分别比较,差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05).3种基因型频率在4种病理类型的卵巢癌中的分布有明显差异(P=0.02),C/C基因型降低子宫内膜样癌的发病风险(OR为0.56,95%CI为0.32～0.98).(2)对照组妇女p27基因V/V、V/G和G/G基因型频率分别为88.4%、10.9%租0.7%,V和G等位基因频率分别为93.8%和6.2%;卵巢癌组患者的基因型频率分别为93.6%、5.1%和1.3%,V和G等位基因频率分别为96.2%和3.8%.两组基因型频率分布比较,差异有统计学意义(P=0.04),等位基因频率分布比较,差异则无统计学意义(P=0.09).与V/G和G/G基因型比较,V/V基因型增加卵巢癌的发病风险(OR为1.92,95%CI为1.02～3.63).结论 p21基因C/T多态性的C/C基因型可能降低子宫内膜样癌的发病风险,p27基因的V/V基因型可能是卵巢癌发病的潜在危险因素.     

Five-Year Survival after Second-Line Cisplatin-Based Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Background.To evaluate the 5-year survival rates of second-line intraperitoneal chemotherapy in advanced-staged ovarian cancer.Materials and Methods.Between August 1985 and September 1991, 63 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer received intraperitoneal cisplatin and cytarabine chemotherapy as second-line treatment.Results.The median survival from the time of initiation of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) was 29.1 months. A significant advantage in 5-year survival (40%) and 5-year progression-free survival (37%) was observed among 21 patients who demonstrated a response to first-line and second-line treatment compared to those who demonstrated a response to first-line treatment only (6 and 0%, respectively) (P< 0.0001). No patient (n= 13) who failed to respond to either first-line or second-line treatment survived for 5 years. Among 42 patients with ≤5 mm residual disease at the time of initiation of IPC, 5-year survival was 36% and 5-year progression-free survival was 31%, while no patient (n= 21) with residual disease measuring >5 mm at the initiation of IPC survived 5 years (P< 0.0001).Conclusion.Given the limitation that this is not a randomized trial, the data appear to indicate that salvage platinum-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy results in significant 5-year survival and progression-free survival in selected patients who initiated therapy with small (≤5 mm) tumor burden. These survival rates as second-line therapy approach those achieved by first-line platinum-based intravenous chemotherapy in patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer with similar small residual disease at the initiation of therapy.     

Survival and prognostic factors of women with advanced ovarian cancer and complete response after a carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the characteristics and determinants of 5-year survival in ovarian cancer patients with complete response after first line treatment who entered a randomised study comparing two different chemotherapeutic schedules. METHODS: This analysis included 232 ovarian cancer patients with complete response after first line surgery and chemotherapy coming from a large randomised trial comparing the effect of different doses of paclitaxel combined with fixed doses of carboplatin. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival in patients was 57.3%. The difference in 5-year survival for age <52 years (65.1%), 53-62 (51.4%) and > or = 63 (51.2%) was statistically significant (P = 0.048). The 5-year overall survival rates were 64.6% for stage III and 57.9% for stage IV. Serous and clear cell histotypes had a worse 5-year overall survival (51.5% and 50.8% respectively), while the endometrioid and mucinous had 67.1% and 71.4%: these differences were statistically different (P = 0.04). Women with residual tumour of 1 cm or smaller after primary surgery had better 5-year survival rates: 71.2% for patients with residual tumour < or = 1 cm and 46.9% for residual tumour >1 cm: these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.006). CONCLUSION: This study shows that in women with ovarian cancer and complete response after first line surgery and chemotherapy, age, histotype and residual tumour after surgery are determinants of 5-year overall survival.     

Survival of women diagnosed with malignant, mixed mullerian tumors of the ovary (OMMMT)

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the survival of women with malignant, mixed mullerian tumors of the ovary (OMMMT) compared to women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program on 14025 women diagnosed with primary invasive ovarian cancer between 1988 and 1997 were used for this analysis (382 had OMMMT). Differences in distribution of prognostic variables by histological type were compared using a chi-square test. Multivariable survival models were fit using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to compare risk of death for OMMMT compared to EOC. Analyses were also performed using cases with OMMMT compared to high-grade EOC only. RESULTS: Women with OMMMT were older at diagnosis and were more likely to have primary surgery compared to women with EOC. The majority of women in either histological group had advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. Women with OMMMT had a significant increased risk of death from any cause whether being compared to all women with EOC (HR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.50,1.90) or to women with high-grade EOC only (HR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.40,1.79). Women with advanced-stage OMMMT were at a 60% increased risk of death compared to women with advanced-stage, high-grade EOC, after adjustment for other variables of interest (adjusted HR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.40,1.84). There was no difference in risk of death for these two groups of women with early-stage disease. CONCLUSION: OMMMT is a rare malignancy compared to EOC and had a significantly worse prognosis compared to EOC.     

Abnormal uterine bleeding and prognosis of endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the period of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and the prognosis of endometrial cancer. METHODS: We reviewed 304 endometrial cancer patients who were diagnosed and treated between 1985 and 1998 in our hospital, and whose history of AUB and clinical parameters were clearly available from their charts. Pathological data and overall survival were compared between groups having different periods of AUB. RESULTS: Duration of AUB had no impact on the prognosis of endometrial cancer. Patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer without AUB showed a significantly better 5-year overall survival rate than the patients diagnosed after the onset of AUB. The distribution of clinical stages and histological grades did not differ depending on AUB status. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of endometrial cancer was determined by the histopathological character of the tumor. However, the diagnosis and treatment of endometrial cancer with some suspicious signs other than AUB might improve the prognosis.     

Long-term survival of patients with apparent early-stage (FIGO I-II) epithelial ovarian cancer: a population-based study

BACKGROUND: Women with presumed early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) who have not received comprehensive surgical staging are at risk for recurrence. The aim of our study was to analyze the overall long term survival of EOC patients with a presumed early stage EOC. METHODS: A population-based cancer registry was used to identify patients with an early-stage EOC cancer diagnosed between 1989 and 1997. The area under study has no surgical gynecologic oncologist and no tertiary referral center. We categorized patients into two subgroups: low-risk (Ia-Ib well and moderately differentiated) and high-risk (Ia-Ib poorly differentiated or IC-II). Survival curves were calculated from the time of surgery using Kaplan-Meier methods and statistical comparisons were performed using the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Fifty patients having an apparent early-stage disease (FIGO I-II) were evaluated. Forty-one patients have been operated by obstetrician-gynecologists and 9 by general surgeons. Twenty-one (42%) have been categorized as low-risk and 29 (58%) as high-risk. An optimal, modified, minimal and inadequate surgical staging was performed in 6, 10, 26 and 58, respectively. The median follow-up time was 147 months (range: 2.5-165). The 5- and 10-year overall survival was 95 and 89% for low-risk and 72 and 33% for high-risk subgroups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical staging is frequently incomplete when performed in small hospitals with few patients by nonspecialists. Women in the high-risk group and incompletely staged have a less favorable prognosis than those reported in the literature.     

卵巢上皮性癌的腹膜后淋巴结切除对预后的影响

目的　探讨卵巢上皮性癌患者腹膜后淋巴结切除对预后的影响。方法　回顾性分析13 1例卵巢上皮性癌患者的临床资料 ,应用COX风险比例回归模型判断影响预后的因素。结果　多因素分析显示 ,年龄、临床分期、残留灶、腹膜后淋巴结切除术及术后化学药物治疗 (化疗 ) ,是影响预后的重要因素。行和未行腹膜后淋巴结切除术患者的 5年生存率分别为 66%和 41% (P <0 0 1)。对于早期和Ⅲ、Ⅳ期肿瘤残留灶直径 >2cm或黏液性癌患者 ,腹膜后淋巴结切除术并不能提高生存率。Ⅲ、Ⅳ期肿瘤残留灶直径≤ 2cm ,行与未行腹膜后淋巴结切除术患者的 5年生存率分别为 65 %、3 0 %(P <0 0 1)。卵巢浆液性癌 ,行与未行腹膜后淋巴结切除术患者的 5年生存率分别为 61%、3 1% (P<0 0 1)。结论　年龄、临床分期、残留灶大小、腹膜后淋巴结切除与否及术后化疗的疗程数 ,与卵巢上皮性癌患者的预后有关。腹膜后淋巴结切除术虽能提高患者生存率 ,但对肿瘤残留灶直径 >2cm的Ⅲ、Ⅳ期卵巢上皮性癌患者 ,可不必行腹膜后淋巴结切除术     

Overexpression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) is an independent prognostic marker for reduced survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: Currently available clinical and molecular factors provide still an insufficient prognostic and predictive assessment for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). To identify a potential molecular target and prognostic/predictive factor for EOC, we investigated in a retrospective study the prognostic value of Ep-CAM overexpression in EOC. METHODS: We assessed by immunohistochemistry the expression of the Ep-CAM antigen on tissue microarrays containing paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 199 patients with documented EOC. Patients were operated for ovarian cancer in the period between June 1980 and January 2000. RESULTS: We observed a rate of Ep-CAM overexpression of 68.8%. Ep-CAM overexpression was significantly related to a decreased overall survival (P = 0.036). The prognostic power of Ep-CAM overexpression was particularly strong in patients with stage III and IV disease. In fact, in this subgroup, median overall survival was twofold higher in patients without as compared to patients with Ep-CAM overexpression (46 vs. 23 months, P < 0.01). Univariate analysis revealed a correlation with histologic grade. We observed a significantly higher rate of Ep-CAM overexpression (83.5%) in grade 3 tumors. Histologic subtypes associated with a higher rate of Ep-CAM overexpression were serous carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, and endometrioid carcinoma. Cox regression analysis showed Ep-CAM overexpression to be an independent prognostic marker (P = 0.037, RR = 1.64). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective analysis demonstrates for the first time an independent prognostic value of Ep-CAM overexpression in patients with EOC. Ovarian cancer patients with Ep-CAM overexpressing tumors are frequent and would qualify for treatment with Ep-CAM-specific immunotherapeutic approaches.     

Survival benefit for patients with advanced-stage transitional cell carcinomas vs. other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma after chemotherapy with platinum and paclitaxel

OBJECTIVE: Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the ovary is a less well recognized histological type of ovarian carcinoma resembling TCC of the urinary bladder. A better prognosis due to a better chemosensitivity of ovarian TCC has been suggested. It was the aim of the present retrospective study to compare incidence and outcome of patients with TCCs and other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma from a large homogeneous collective of patients with primary advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: H and E-stained sections from a total of 302 cases from a prospective randomized, multi-center, phase III study of patients with ovarian cancer, FIGO-stages IIB-IV, comparing cisplatin plus paclitaxel (PT) with paclitaxel plus carboplatin (TC) were available for histological retyping of ovarian carcinomas applying current WHO criteria. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: 16 of 302 tumors (5.3%) were diagnosed as TCC. Only 1 of the 16 TCCs had been previously diagnosed as such by referring pathologists. TCCs were associated with smaller preoperative extraovarian tumor and with smaller postoperative residual tumor. 5-year survival of patients with TCC was 57% as compared to 31% for patients with ovarian carcinomas of other types (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: TCC of the ovary seems to be a less well recognized entity. In the current series, TCCs had a significantly better prognosis as compared to all other types of ovarian carcinomas after standardized chemotherapy. A propensity for micronodular rather than macronodular extraovarian spread and better surgical resectability of TCC might contribute to the survival benefit.     

MAGE-A family serves as poor prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for epithelial ovarian cancer patients: a retrospective clinical study

Objective: The aim of our study is to investigate the expression pattern and prognostic significance of melanoma-associated antigens-A (MAGE-A) family in primary epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients.

Study design: The expression of MAGE-A family members, including MAGE-A1, -A2, -A3, -A4, -A6, -A10 and -A12 was immunohistochemically detected in 82 cases of primary EOC and 10 cases of pericarcinoma ovarian tissues. The association between MAGE-A family expression and the clinicopathological parameters as well as the prognosis of primary EOC patients was analyzed.

Results: MAGE-A family expressed in 48.8% of primary EOC tissues, but not expressed in pericarcinoma ovarian tissues. MAGE-A expression was associated with the pathological types, FIGO stage, and pre-operative serum CA125 level. Overall survival of EOC patients with positive MAGE-A family expression was significantly shorter than those patients with negative MAGE-A expression. Multivariate analysis showed that although MAGE-A family expression can affect the overall survival, it was not an independent prognostic marker for EOC patients.

Conclusions: Molecular assessment of MAGE-A family members could be helpful to improve the prognostic evaluation and to provide a new potential therapeutic target for primary EOC patients.     

Survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and the effect of lymphadenectomy in those with stage 3 disease

This study looks at the 10-year survival data in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma at the Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne. An ovarian cancer database was established at the hospital in 1980, since then 253 patients have been diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. The 5-year survival rates for Stages 1 to 4 are 75%, 55%, 24% and 21% respectively. The 10-year survival rates are 65%, 55%, 16% and 15% respectively. One hundred and thirty patients have been diagnosed with Stage 3 disease. The Gynaecologic Oncology Department at the Mercy Hospital for Women was formalized in 1987. Patients treated for ovarian cancer by the unit since 1987 had a significantly better survival (median 47 months) than patients treated prior to 1987 (median 17 months), p = 0.03. There is much debate as to whether lymphadenectomy in patients with ovarian cancer is of therapeutic value. In this study the patients with Stage 3 disease and who had a lymphadenectomy performed had a better 5-year survival rate of 38% compared to 22% in the group who did not have a lymphadenectomy (p < 0.05). The Stage 3 patients who had negative retroperitoneal nodes had a 10-year survival rate of 51%. There was no difference in survival rate between patients with endometrioid and serous papillary carcinomas.     

Natural history of epithelial ovarian cancer and its relation to surgical and medical treatment

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) represents approximately 90% of primary malignant ovarian tumors, the sixth most common cancer in women and the second most common gynecologic cancer. Approximately 80%-85% of all ovarian carcinomas in Western society are serous and up to 95% of patients are in advanced stages (FIGO stage III-IV) at diagnosis. Treatment of ovarian cancer is mainly based on three key approaches: surgical removal of neoplasia; chemotherapy to kill cancer cells; direct chemotherapy on peritoneal surfaces. The application of hyperthermic chemotherapy to the peritoneal cavity (HIPEC) after radical surgery may also be an attractive option. We analyzed the natural history of EOC in the literature and identified various time-points where sensitivity to chemotherapy, freedom from disease and overall survival are different. We propose eight time-points in EOC history with homogeneous oncological findings. The effectiveness of HIPEC in EOC treatment should be evaluated based on these eight time-points and we believe that retrospective and prospective studies of HIPEC should be evaluated according to these time-points.     

Outcome of patients with early ovarian cancer undergoing three courses of adjuvant chemotherapy following complete surgical staging

We conducted the present study to determine the outcome of patients with early ovarian cancer who underwent three courses of adjuvant chemotherapy after complete surgical staging. One hundred consecutive patients with stage I-II epithelial ovarian cancer who had undergone complete surgical staging and received three courses of platinum-based chemotherapy were entered in this study. Twenty-one patients were low risk, defined as stage IA-B, grade 1 and histologic types except for clear cell adenocarcinoma, and remaining 79 were high risk. All patients with stage IA or IB, whatever histologic type and histopathologic grade, were alive without disease. The 5-year survival rate was 89.4% for patients with stage IC and 76.2% for those with stage II. The 5-year survival rate for low- and high-risk patients was 100% and 89.4%, respectively. The survival rate for grade 1 was significantly better than that for grade 2 or 3. Multivariate analysis revealed that histologic grade was an independent prognostic factor in stage IC-II ovarian cancer. The outcome of patients with early ovarian cancer undergoing three courses of chemotherapy after complete surgical staging was favorable even in high-risk patients.     

What have we achieved in ovarian cancer? A comparison of survivals and resources in two different periods

In a geographically well-defined region in Denmark, survival and resource spending for strictly defined epithelial ovarian cancer patients treated during the periods 1973–1978 and 1981–1986 were compared. Almost all epithelial ovarian cancer patients diagnosed during the periods involved were identified; in both periods 206 patients were found. The number of patients was cross-checked with the Danish Cancer Registry. Treatment strategy was totally different in the two periods. In the first period debulking surgery was not routine and postoperative treatment consisted of pelvic irradiation and alkylating agents. In the second period the patients were treated according to national protocols prescribing debulking surgery, second-look laparotomy, and allocation to randomized trials. Advanced ovarian cancer patients were treated with combination chemotherapy with cisplatinum. Median survival was superior for the period 1981–1986, but long-term survival was similar in the two periods, 5-year survival being 27.5% for the period 1973–1978 and 26.9% for the period 1981–1986. The resources spent on ovarian cancer patients were calculated for the two periods, expressed as 'bed-days' spent on ovarian cancer. An estimate of the price of the extra resources used was made; in the second period $1.18 million $US more were spent on ovarian cancer. The costs were correlated with survival and the cost per gained year of life was estimated as $36 493. In conclusion, the study shows that for all stages of ovarian cancer an improvement of median survival was found, but not of long-term survival. The survival gain was associated with extra resource spending.