title: Prediction of the survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer according to a risk model based on a scoring system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to devise a scoring system based on significantly prognostic parameters which might predict the survival time for each individual patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included 40 patients with stage III or IV invasive ovarian cancer, operated on between 1987 and 1994. Different preoperative and intraoperative parameters were examined and their impact on survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival rates were compared by the log rank test. The parameters, which have been found to be significant prognostic factors, were incorporated into the final risk model, based on a scoring system. The scores were given according to the cut-off point of each prognostic parameter. A correlation coefficient was calculated from the survival curve, representing the combined scores of individual patients versus their survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From all studied parameters, only gravidity, the stage of ovarian cancer and the preoperative levels of LDH and CA-125 were demonstrated to have a significant impact on survival. On the basis of these four parameters a scoring system was devised. The scores were given considering the cut-off level of each parameter: gravidity < or = 2 versus > 2; stage of the cancer - IIIA, IIIB and stage IIIC versus stage IV; LDH level < or = 240 versus > 240 U/L; CA-125 < or = 100 versus > 100 U/ml. The average of the combined scores representing the four parameters was the final risk factor, which was plotted against the survival of each individual patient. A correlation coefficient of -0.99 was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the survival of each individual patient with advanced ovarian cancer could be predicted quite accurately considering our risk model based on a scoring system which incorporates four preoperative and intraoperative parameters. This scoring system needs to be validated by larger prospective trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zerifin, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bukovsky
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hadas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate