Evaluation of adjuvant therapy after surgery for primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of postoperative therapy (chemotherapy vs. irradiation) on overall survival.


METHODS
A nationwide retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Hanusch-Krankenhaus, Department of Gynaecology,


METHODS
115 patients with histologically proved primary carcinoma of the Fallopian tube: 49 received six treatment cycles of a cis-platinum regimen (group I), 24 patients were treated by full irradiation using 50 Gray minimum (group II). The two groups had a similar distribution of stage I and II; in the more advanced stages chemotherapy was the predominant method of treatment.


RESULTS
The five-year survival rate was 53% for women receiving irradiation as against 27% for those given cis-platinum. If the analysis was restricted to those patients with comparable stage I and stage II lesions, the p-value (0.07) was of borderline significance. There was no advantage in adding abdominal to pelvic irradiation (P = 0.62).


CONCLUSIONS
Stage I and stage II carcinoma is probably better treated postoperatively by radiotherapy than chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may have more therapeutic potential in patients with more advanced lesions.
Klein
M
M
Department of Gynaecology, Hanusch-Krankenhaus, Vienna, Austria.
Rosen
A
A
Lahousen
M
M
Graf
A
A
Vavra
N
N
Pakisch
B
B
Poschauko
J
J
Beck
A
A
Kucera
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D002945:Cisplatin