Importance of clinically prognostic factors in the treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma

: 25 patients with stage III and IV ovarian carcinoma were treated with radical surgery and postoperative chemotherapy. Analysis of the disease-free intervals and the survival rates indicated significant differences related to the stage of the disease. Furthermore patients with minimal residual disease (tumor mass less than 2 cm in diameter) had a far better prognosis than patients with extensive residual disease (greater than 3 cm). No correlation could be demonstrated between histological grading, in vitro proliferation rates, hormone receptor status, type of postoperative chemotherapy and survival rates.