Prognostic importance of ascites in ovarian carcinoma

In a well-controlled series of 501 ovarian carcinomas the prognostic importance of peritoneal effusion (ascites) at the time of diagnosis was analysed by the life table technique (survival curves) and log-rank resting. Ascites was present in 44.1% (221/501) of the new cases in the complete series but in 74.7% with stage III tumors and 55.5% with seropapillary adenocarcinomas. The histology and degree of differentiation were of no importance for the frequency of ascites within each individual tumor stage. In stage I tumors the occurrence of ascites is of prognostic significance per se, regardless of histology and grade, probably owing to the facilitation of tumor cell spread. In higher stages, tumor volume and spread are of the utmost importance and the presence or absence of peritoneal fluid does not affect the probability of survival.