VALUE OF IRRADIATION IN TREATMENT OF INOPERABLE CARCINOMA OF THE OVARY

This report is based on an analysis of twenty-four cases of carcinoma of the ovary which have been referred to the roentgen-ray laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital for treatment. In all, the diagnosis has been proved by operation, and each patient has received at least one complete series of treatments.CONDITION OF PATIENTSPreceding irradiation, the following operations had been performed: exploratory, six; bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, seven; bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and hysterectomy, eight, and unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, three.With only one exception (ruptured carcinomatous cyst), visible peritoneal metastases were present at the time of the operation; complete removal of the carcinomatous ovary was impossible, or late recurrence had followed operation. Irradiation was given in twenty cases from one to three months after operation, while in four, intervals of six months, seven months, one and one-half years and seven years, respectively, had elapsed between operation and recurrence.Papillary carcinoma was present in