Treatment and outcomes of a Danish ovarian cancer population

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynaecological cancers and is the tenth most frequent cancer among women. 80% of patients with advanced stage disease will experience a progression either during or after treatment.

This was a retrospective, observational study of all women referred to adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment for ovarian cancer between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014 at two university hospitals in Denmark.

We included 142 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The median overall survival from diagnosis was 48.5 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 36.6-57.9 months). Median survival after the first, second, third, fourth and fifth progression was 19.3 (95% CI: 13.9-27-3), 11.4 (95% CI: 7.7-18.8), 9.5 (95% CI: 6.3-12.7), 8.3 (95% CI: 7.6-11.5) and 5.6 
(95% CI: 2.9-not assessed) months, respectively. Median progression-free survival from diagnosis was 15.6 months (95% CI: 14.3-18.4 months). Median progression-free survival after first, second, third, fourth and fifth progression was 9.2 (95% CI: 7.7-10.6), 6.0 (95% CI: 3.5-7.7), 3.3 (95% CI: 2.6-4.6), 4.9 (95% CI: 3.6-8.3) and 3.0 (95% CI: 2.4-5.7) months, respectively. The most frequently used treatment at first progression was carboplatin and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (n = 37). The most used non-platinum containing treatment at progression was pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (n = 26) followed by paclitaxel (n = 23).

Ovarian cancer remains a highly aggressive disease with most patients diagnosed in advanced stages. Treatment has not changed much in the past 15 years and the same is evident for the overall survival.

Tobias Berg received an unrestricted research grant from the Danish Cancer Society.

not relevant.