[Significance of atypical hemorrhage in ovarian cancer]

In a retrospective study on 167 ovarian cancer patients the presenting symptom was defined via anamnesis. This parameter was correlated to others characterising the cancer and the patient: age, parity, menopause, stage, extent of operation, tumor residue, postoperative therapy, induction of remission and several morphological data. The prognostic significance was analysed using Hazard-models (Cox 1972, Carter 1983) and contingency tables.

The presenting signs and symptoms were: atypical bleeding in 44 patients, pain in 75 patients and other signs in 48 patients. These signs and symptoms were significantly correlated with tumor residue, and were more frequently seen in mucinous and endometrioid carcinomas. There were no significant correlations to the other examined parameters, but there was a trend for patients with atypical bleedings to be diagnosed at early stages and their survival prognosis was significantly (p less than 0.01) better compared with that for patients with pain or other presenting signs or symptoms.