Treatment schemes and their impact on therapeutic results. Study in patients with advanced ovarian cancer

Original Research

Abstract

Introduction: Advanced ovarian cancer is one of the cancer diseases with the highest mortality in the world. In Ecuador it represents approximately 0.2% of all deaths. The objective of the study was to carry out a retrospective clinical description of women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Methods: The present observational, retrospective study was carried out in the Clinical Oncology service of the National Oncological Institute “Dr. Juan Tanca Marengo” from Solca-Guayaquil. The study period was January 2003 to December 2007. The records of patients with histopathological diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer were included: staging according to FIGO III (IIIA-IIIB-IIIC) and IV. The variables were descriptive, population and clinical: histological type, staging, treatment used. The calculation of the sample is non-probabilistic, which includes all possible cases. Descriptive statistics are used.

Results: 79 cases entered the analysis. Women aged 50 to 59 years 20/79 cases 25.32 (95% CI 24.24-26.4%). Serous papillary adenocarcinoma IIIc was the most prevalent histology 34/79 (43.04% 95% CI 41.81-44.27%). Chemotherapy treatment with surgery was the most prevalent 56/79 (70.89% 95% CI 69.76-72.01). Paclitaxel + Cisplatin was used in 44/79 cases (55.7% 95% CI 54.46-56.93%). Recurrence occurred in 30 cases. Complete response in 17 cases (21.52% 95% CI 20.5-22.54%), progression in 18 cases (22.78% 95% CI 21.74-23.83%). Mortality 11 cases (13.92% 95% CI 13.07-14.78%) and treatment abandonment 32 cases (40.51% 95% CI 39.29-41.72%).

Conclusions: The dropout rate is a factor that occurs with a high frequency among patients with advanced ovarian cancer. This does not allow evaluating the outcome of the treatments that are used to treat ovarian cancers at these stages.