LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS FOLLOWING MACROSCOPIC COMPLETE RESPONSE AT 2ND-LOOK LAPAROTOMY IN ADVANCED OVARIAN-CANCER PATIENTS TREATED WITH PLATINUM-BASED CHEMOTHERAPY

Survival (S) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated in 129 advanced ovarian cancer patients, who achieved a macroscopic complete response (112 pathological complete response and 17 microscopic disea se) at second-look after platinum-based combination chemotherapy with or without doxorubicin (DX). The impact on S and PFS of age, performan ce status (PS), stage, histology, grade (G), residual disease after fi rst surgery (RD), chemotherapy regimen, disease status at second-look and consolidation therapy were evaluated by univariate and multivariat e analysis. In the 118 months observation period, median S and PFS wer e 81 and 34 months, respectively. Stage, G, RD, PS and disease status at second-look had significant impact on both S and PFS in univariate analysis, whereas consolidation therapy did not influence outcome. Cox 's regression analysis showed that G, RD and PS had an independent imp act on PFS. Test for interaction demonstrated no statistically signifi cant relationship between RD, chemotherapy regimen and outcome. In con clusion, advanced ovarian cancer patients with macroscopically complet e remission at second-look have a substantial risk of relapse after ag gressive treatment. The risk of recurrence was estimated to be maximal in the first 3 years after restaging, and was correlated with poor PS , RD >2 cm after first surgery and undifferentiated tumour.