Adjuvant (post-surgery) chemotherapy for early stage epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract

Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is effective in prolonging the survival of the majority of patients who are assessed as having early (FIGO stage I/IIa) epithelial ovarian cancer. However, it may be withheld from women in whom there is well-differentiated encapsulated unilateral disease (stage 1a grade 1) or those with comprehensively staged Ib, well or moderately differentiated (grade 1/2) disease. Others with unstaged early disease or those with poorly differentiated tumours should be offered chemotherapy. A pragmatic approach may be necessary in clinical settings where optimal staging is not normally performed/achieved. In such settings, adjuvant chemotherapy may be withheld from those with encapsulated stage Ia grade 1 serous and endometrioid carcinoma and offered to all others with early stage disease.

Prognostic evaluation of preoperative serum C-reactive protein concentration in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

“…Among the already established prognostic indicators, ovarian tumor stage and postoperative residual tumor mass at primary cytoreductive surgery have been shown to most reliably predict the outcome of patients with ovarian cancer (7). Clinical decisions regarding adjuvant therapies are largely based on the International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) stage and tumor grade, particularly in the early stages of the disease (8). With the progress in the surgical techniques, management of the perioperative period and range of combined treatments, the survival rate of patients with ovarian cancer has been increased significantly; however, the high recurrence rate following treatment remains the primary reason for poor prognoses (9).…”

Pharmacodynamic study of 131I-labeled CA215 antibody on an animal model of estrogen-resistant OC-3-VGH ovarian cancer

“…Approximately seven days after the 2x10 7 /ml ovarian cancer cell suspension was inoculated subcutaneously into the nude mice, a protuberance was observed on the back and neck of all nude mice ( Fig. 2A).…”

“…At present, an effective treatment for advanced stage ovarian cancer is lacking (7,8). Currently, studies on ovarian cancer generally focus on its association with estrogen and its receptor (9,10).…”

Effect of Chemotherapy on Health-Related Quality of Life among Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer Survivors: A Study from the Population-Based Profiles Registry

“…Proper staging of presumed early-stage ovarian cancer is important starting point, because adjuvant chemotherapy could be withheld in many patients with early-stage disease 21,23 . Hence, adequate staging, specifically of patients with figo ia and ib disease, could avoid longterm side effects when chemotherapy is withheld in those patients.…”