Survival after ovarian cancer induced intestinal obstruction

Abstract

Over a 9-year period, July 1, 1971, to June 30, 1980, 60 women with ovarian cancer underwent exploratory laparotomy for intestinal obstruction secondary to ovarian carcinoma. Surgery consisted of enterocolon bypass (23), ileostomy (9), small intestinal resection (3), colostomy (14), and exploratory laparotomy only in 11 women. In these 11 cases corrective surgery could not be carried out because of extensive tumor. The median survival for the 60 women was only 2.5 months (< 1–27) and did not differ significantly for the type of surgery performed: small intestinal bypass, 4 months (< 1–15); ileostomy, 2 months (< 1–27); small intestinal resection, 1 month (< 1–2), colostomy 2.5 months (< 1–16); and exploratory laparotomy, 2 months (< 1–10). Of the 44 women who received postoperative chemotherapy, 17% (9) had a partial response or stabilization of their disease. Survival was primarily related to the lack of progression of disease after postoperative chemotherapy rather than the type of surgery performed. Patients with a partial response or stabilization of their disease by postoperative chemotherapy had a median survival of 10 months (4–27) as compared to only 3 months (< 1–10) for women with progressive cancer. The recent development of highly active combination chemotherapy which includes cis-dichlorodiammine platinum should lead to improved survival for patients with ovarian cancer induced intestinal obstruction as compared to the poor survival documented for the past decade.