[Current aspects of ovarian carcinoma]

Ovarian cancer is still an unsolved therapeutical problem in gynaecology. Inspite the occasional use of therapies exercising a great strain, the resulting overall 5-year survival is hardly unchanged. Genetic factors are probably involved in the origin of the cancer. Vaginal sonography and CA-125 screening determination have not yet been routinely established. Primary cytoreductive surgery is meanwhile a cornerstone of the treatment of advanced stages of ovarian cancer. In contrast, secondary cytoreduction is restricted to individual cases. For the second line-chemotherapy taxol was introduced. This substance has a new principle of efficacy and can obtain response rates in cisplatinum-nonresponders. An efficient treatment of ovarian cancer can only be carried out by a systemic approach involving immunological and genetic methods.