Survival odds improve with immediate chemotherapy following surgery.(ovarian cancer outcome)

2003 MAR 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The combined results of two clinical trials have shown that women with early ovarian cancer, which is restricted to the ovary, have a better chance of survival after surgery if they are treated immediately with platinum compound-based chemotherapy.

Scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit who coordinated an international clinical trial called ICON1 (International Collaborative Ovarian Neoplasm) studied 477 women across five countries.

The results have shown that after 5 years of follow-up 79% of women who had chemotherapy immediately after surgery were still alive compared to 70% who did not, a 9% difference in favor of having chemotherapy immediately after surgery. Patients randomized to chemotherapy received platinum compound-based treatment immediately after surgery, while patients randomized to the observation arm of the trial received chemotherapy when further symptoms developed.

Furthermore, patients were also followed to establish whether the disease recurred. After 5 years 73% of patients who had immediate chemotherapy were alive and recurrence-free compared to 62% who ...