[The "age factor" in ovarian cancer. Clinical, therapeutic and prognostic aspects]

115 patients affected by ovarian tumors, were studied retrospectively, each with a follow-up of a minimum of 5 years. These cases were subdivided into two subgroups according to the age (younger or older than 65 years) to value the differences, from a prognostic and therapeutic point of view about the age of neoplasm onset. In patients older than 65 years, there were prevalent cases with worse prognosis, linked both to the neoplasm (greater incidence of advanced stages at the moment of the diagnosis; prevalence of tumours of low degree of differentiation), and to the treatment given (less destroying intervention, with a higher frequency of non optimal residual disease; fewer chemotherapeutic cycles for every patient, with lower doses and fewer times of administration of drugs; higher incidence of phenomena of resistance and rejection of the I line therapy). The survival curves were significantly different in the two groups of patients, proving a worse prognosis for older women. At last, a multivaried statistical analysis, revealed that age, like stage, residual disease and the number of chemotherapeutic cycles performed, represent an independent prognostic factor.