[Stage III and IV epithelial ovarian cancers. Therapeutic problems]

Between 1986 and 1989 (4 years), 11 epithelial malignant tumours of the ovary were treated in the department of gynecology and obstetrics of the Libreville teaching hospital group. Epithelial tumours accounted for 78 per cent of malignant tumours in the adult. Burkitt's lymphoma predominated in young girls. Cancer of the ovary takes sixth place among female cancers in Gabon, with an incidence identical to that of cancer of the liver. Cases involved stage III and IV malignancies. Four patients died (36 per cent) and seven are still alive (63.6 per cent) with a mean survival of 25 months at the time of the study (the longest living patient having a survival of 5 years). The fullest possible initial surgical excision is essential in ensuring the greater efficacy of polychemotherapy (including Cisplatin), the only guarantee of total second look surgery. Monitoring of residual disease was based upon ultrasonography. Pelvic radiotherapy was used in the presence of a residual pelvic mass measuring less than 3 cm. Future efforts must be direct towards early detection, in particular since more than 45 per cent of our patients were aged under 30.