<p>From January, 1988, to December, 1993, 113 patients with FIGO stage IA-IIC epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with postoperative radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 74 months. Tumor recurrences were recorded in 33 cases (30%). The cancer-specific survival rate was 72%. Tumor grade was a significant (P = 0.007) and independent prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis. In a smaller series of 106 patients, a number of prognostic factors (age, FIGO stage, histopathological type, and tumor grade) were studied in relation to regulators of apoptosis (p53, bcl-2, and bax) and growth factor receptors (HER-2/neu and EGFR). Immunohistochemical techniques were used. In a separate series of 103 patients, the DNA content (flow cytometry) and p53 status of the tumors were also studied and related to the same clinicopathological factors. P53 was associated with tumor grade (P = 0.007) and survival status (P = 0.046). In a Cox multivariate analysis, tumor grade (P = 0.0006), bax status (P = 0.020), and EGFR status (P = 0.018) were significant and independent prognostic factors. DNA ploidy of the tumors was strongly associated with tumor grade. </p><p>From January, 1994, to December, 1998, a series of 109 patients with ovarian carcinomas (FIGO IA-IIC) were treated with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The same prognostic factors were studied in this series. The median follow-up was 48 months and the cancer-specific survival rate was 75%. Twenty-five (25%) tumor recurrences were recorded. The most favorable survival rate was seen in patients with tumors negative for p53 and positive for bcl-2 or bax. In a multivariate analysis, tumor grade (P = 0.014) and p53 status (P = 0.020) were independent prognostic factors.</p><p>Clinical, histopathological and biological prognostic factors should be combined in prognostic models to render patient-tailored therapy possible and to define different prognostic groups for future clinical studies of adjuvant therapy in early stage ovarian carcinomas.</p>

From January, 1988, to December, 1993, 113 patients with FIGO stage IA-IIC epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with postoperative radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 74 months. Tumor recurrences were recorded in 33 cases (30%). The cancer-specific survival rate was 72%. Tumor grade was a significant (P = 0.007) and independent prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis. In a smaller series of 106 patients, a number of prognostic factors (age, FIGO stage, histopathological type, and tumor grade) were studied in relation to regulators of apoptosis (p53, bcl-2, and bax) and growth factor receptors (HER-2/neu and EGFR). Immunohistochemical techniques were used. In a separate series of 103 patients, the DNA content (flow cytometry) and p53 status of the tumors were also studied and related to the same clinicopathological factors. P53 was associated with tumor grade (P = 0.007) and survival status (P = 0.046). In a Cox multivariate analysis, tumor grade (P = 0.0006), bax status (P = 0.020), and EGFR status (P = 0.018) were significant and independent prognostic factors. DNA ploidy of the tumors was strongly associated with tumor grade. From January, 1994, to December, 1998, a series of 109 patients with ovarian carcinomas (FIGO IA-IIC) were treated with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The same prognostic factors were studied in this series. The median follow-up was 48 months and the cancer-specific survival rate was 75%. Twenty-five (25%) tumor recurrences were recorded. The most favorable survival rate was seen in patients with tumors negative for p53 and positive for bcl-2 or bax. In a multivariate analysis, tumor grade (P = 0.014) and p53 status (P = 0.020) were independent prognostic factors. Clinical, histopathological and biological prognostic factors should be combined in prognostic models to render patient-tailored therapy possible and to define different prognostic groups for future clinical studies of adjuvant therapy in early stage ovarian carcinomas.