PATTERNS OF CARE FOR WOMEN WITH OVARIAN-CANCER IN THE UNITED-STATES

Purpose: To characterize treatments for ovarian cancer, to determine i f recommended staging and treatment were provided, and to determine fa ctors that influence receipt of recommended staging and treatment. Met hods: A total of 785 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1991 were selected from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidem iology, and End Results (SEER) program, Type and receipt of recommende d staging and treatment were examined using data on surgery and physic ian-verified chemotherapy. Results: Most women with presumptive stage I and II ovarian cancer were treated with surgery alone (58%), while w omen with stage III or IV disease were treated with surgery plus plati num-based chemotherapy (75% stage III, 56% stage IV). Approximately 10 % of women with presumptive stage I and II, 71% with stage III, and 53 % with stage IV disease received recommended staging and treatment, Th e absence of lymphadenectomy and assignment of histologic grade were t he primary reasons women with presumptive stage I and II cancer did no t receive recommended staging and treatment, whereas for stages III an d IV, it was due to older women not receiving surgery plus platinum-ba sed adjuvant chemotherapy, Age, stage, comorbidity, ''other'' race eth nicity, and treatment at a facility with an approved residency trainin g program were associated with whether recommended staging and therapy were received. Conclusion: Older women with late-stage disease did no t receive recommended treatment, The majority of women with early-stag e disease did not receive recommended staging and treatment.