Ovarian cancer in a county hospital

Forty two cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed and treated over a ten year period (1975-1985) are reviewed. The mean age at presentation was 59.3 years and mean parity 1.9. Abdominal pain and distension were the commonest clinical symptoms. Twenty three patients had total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without partial omentectomy. All patients had at least diagnostic laparotomy. There were no post-operative deaths. Thirty two patients had adjuvant chemotherapy. Two patients had false negative "Second Look" procedures. Histology in all cases was of epithelial origin. Survival at one year was 52.4% and 35.3% in those patients followed for five years. Good prognosis was related to extent of disease and surgical excision. Cisplatinum post-operative chemotherapy replaced other cytotoxic drugs in the latter years and it's use was associated with less morbidity and longer survival in patients with extensive disease than earlier regimes. We feel that national co-ordination in gynaecological oncology surveillance and treatment would be beneficial.