Tumor volumetry as predictive and prognostic factor in the management of ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND
The usefulness of tumor volumetry in ovarian epithelial cancer has never been intensively investigated. The aim of the present study was to determine the value of quantitative analysis of tumor volume as a predictive method for response to treatment and as a prognostic method for disease outcome.


METHODS
Seventy-five women with advanced ovarian cancer who presented with measurable disease on CT scan prior to chemotherapy were retrospectively studied. The patients were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 113.36 weeks. An independent radiologist identified and delineated tumor contours in each slice of sequential CT scans before and after therapy. Volumetry was measured with a three-dimensional approach by utilizing a digitizer and a specific algorithm on a software computed program.


RESULTS
Data were analyzed according to initial and to residual tumor volumes. Patients with low initial volume of <52 cm3 exhibited higher responses (p<0.01), while patients with medium (52-165 cm3) or high (>165 CM3) initial tumor volume had a shorter time to progression (p<0.01). Patients without or with low residual volume of <35 cm3 were found to have a longer time to progression (p<0.05) and longer survival (p<0.01 and p<0.05). In addition, serum CA 125 levels followed precisely tumor volumetry for both initial and residual disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor volumetry in advanced ovarian cancer was found to have predictive value for response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Initial tumor volume has prognostic significance only for the time to progression, whereas residual tumor volume has for both time to progression and survival.
Andreopoulou
E
E
Department of Medical Oncology, University of Ioannina, Greece.
Andreopoulos
D
D
Adamidis
K
K
Fountzila-Kalogera
A
A
Fountzilas
G
G
Dimopoulos
M A
MA
Aravantinos
G
G
Zamboglou
N
N
Baltas
D
D
Pavlidis
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018394:CA-125 Antigen