Radiation treatment of advanced or recurrent granulosa cell tumor of the ovary.
BACKGROUND
Because granulosa cell tumors of the ovary are rare, the optimal treatment for women with gross residual disease after primary surgery or recurrence is not known. Our objective was to review the results of radiotherapy for advanced or recurrent granulosa cell tumor of the ovary.


METHODS
This retrospective review identified 34 patients with ovarian granulosa cell tumors treated with radiation at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1949 and 1988. Fourteen received treatment for clinically measurable disease; 20 received adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery for minimal residual (<1 cm) or microscopic residual disease. The 14 patients with measurable disease formed the basis for this review.


RESULTS
Ten of 14 patients were treated with moving-strip whole-abdomen radiation (27-28 Gy), 9 with 60Co, and 1 with 6-MeV photons and a pelvic boost of 28 Gy with 22-25 MeV photons. The other 4 patients were treated with pelvic radiotherapy (45-61 Gy) with 22-25 MeV photons. Six of 14 patients (43%) had a clinical complete response to radiotherapy, with a median follow-up of 13 years (range, 5-21 years). Three of 6 who responded to radiation had relapse 4-5 years later; 2 of these 3 died of disease and 1 was alive with disease at last follow-up. Three responders remain alive without evidence of disease 10-21 years after treatment. The 8 nonresponders had a median survival of 12.3 months (range, 1-60 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy can induce a clinical response with occasional long-term remission in patients with persistent or recurrent granulosa cell tumor of the ovary.
Wolf
J K
JK
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
Mullen
J
J
Eifel
P J
PJ
Burke
T W
TW
Levenback
C
C
Gershenson
D M
DM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006106:Granulosa Cell Tumor / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate