External beam radiotherapy in the management of ovarian carcinoma

Between 1970 and 1983, 345 patients with ovarian cancer clinical stage I, II, and III were irradiated postoperatively. Five-year NED survival was achieved in 41.7% of patients. The most important prognostic factors were histological grade and clinical stage of cancer. Postoperative external beam radiotherapy appeared to be highly efficient for the patients with microscopic residual disease, giving 70% 5-year survival, and moderately efficient for patients with small, i.e. < or = 3 cm in diameter residual disease, giving 40% 5-year survival. The optimal technique of irradiation appeared to be the irradiation given to the entire abdominal cavity with additional irradiation coned down to the pelvis. External beam radiotherapy was ineffective in patients with gross residual disease, i.e. > 3 cm in diameter, and useless as palliative treatment given to patients with inoperable cancer of the ovary.