Radiation therapy for patients with ovarian cancer.

Evidence for an overall improvement in survival for patients with cancer of the ovary is presented. This improvement is from approximately 30% to 40% with a long term survival compatible with cure. The discussion then focuses on how treatment has contributed to that improvement, and in particular the use of radiation therapeutically. The results of the prospective randomized clinical trials at The Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, indicate that the use of pelvic and abdominopelvic irradiation for patients other than Stage IA, well differentiated, who have no or small residuum following surgery is curative for a large proportion and is the reason for the improvement in overall survival. Comparison of these results with others in the literature is done and shown not to disprove the findings of the PMH study. Mention is made of newer developments in multifactorial analysis to better define the patients for whom radiation is the treatment of choice currently.