[Prognostic factors in ovarian carcinoma]

The prognosis in ovarian cancer remains poor, and there is a need to identify patients who are less likely to respond to treatment or are suffering from low stage disease and have a worse prognosis. Stage, presence of ascites, age of patient, histologic type and grade, as well as cellular DNA content or ploidy and mitotic activity index are of prognostic value. In addition to that halftime of CA 125 is also a prognostic indicator. Recently expression of receptors, growth factors and the expression of several oncogenes revealed to have a prognostic significance in ovarian cancer. An overview of the most important prognostic factors is presented.