A comparative study of patients with cancer of the ovary, who have survived more or less than 10 years.

With the purpose of elucidating the characteristics in patients with cancer of the ovary who have survived 10 years compared with patients who have not survived 10 years, 161 patients with epithelial cancer and 15 patients with granulosa cell tumor who have survived 10 years, group A, have been compared with 157 patients with epithelial cancer and 14 patients with granulosa cell tumor, who have not survived 10 years, group B. The study showed that among epithelial tumors the stage of tumor and the histological picture in the form of "low potential malignance" or adenocarcinoma was of decisive importance for 10 years survival. No correlation between information such as age, marital status, profession, duration of symptoms, and the nature of symptoms and 10 years survival could be found in patients with tumor in stages I and II. Neither could the gynaecological examination, the nature of the surgical treatment nor radiation therapy be correlated with 10 years survival in stages I and II. 32 of the 152 patients with epithelial cancer in stages I and II, who have survived 10 years, have either died from their ovarian disease or have later on developed cancer localized to cervix ro corpus uteri. The author points out the risk of not removing both ovaries as well as the uterus and recommends that such patients are followed for many years after the treatment. In 29 patients with granulosa cell tumor neither the medical history, the stage of the tumor nor the treatment could be correlated with 10 years survival.