[Management of intestinal obstruction in advanced ovarian cancer an analysis of 57 cases]

Abstract

The records of 532 patients with advanced ovarian cancer during March 1977 to February 1993 were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-seven cases developed intestinal obstruction, and 54 cases died of this complication. The median survival period for all patients with obstruction was 110 days, and only 5 cases survived for more than one year. Twenty-three cases were treated mainly by surgery, 18 by chemotherapy, and 16 by conservative measures. The median survival periods for each group was 96 days, 120 days, and 81 days, respectively. Their survival times are not statistically different (P > 0.05). Of the patients surgically treated, 61% (14/23) benefited from operation, 26% (6/23) had inoperable disease at laparotomy, and 9% (2/23) developed fatal surgical complications. Even though the response rate in patients receiving chemotherapy was much higher than in those surgically treated (P < 0.05), the effect of chemotherapy was just temporary, and occurred only in patients who had never been treated with high dose PDD-based regimens. In this report, the individualized management of intestinal obstruction induced by ovarian cancers is suggested, and indications and contraindications for three treatment modalities are proposed.