Thrombocytosis and anaemia in women with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to a second-line chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the incidence and the prognostic value of platelet count and serum haemoglobin (Hb) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to second-line chemotherapy.


METHODS
Clinical records were reviewed for 31 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Survival analysis was evaluated by univariate (Kaplan-Meier product limit method and log-rank test) analysis. We analysed the results for the overall survival. Anaemia and thrombocytosis were defined as a serum Hb level < 12 g/dl and as platelet count > 300,000/microL, respectively.


RESULTS
Thrombocytosis and tumour anaemia were present in 55% and 42% of the patients, respectively. Tumour anaemia was of no prognostic value with respect to overall survival in our series. In patients with thrombocytosis, the median survival rate was reduced (p = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that a platelet count > 300,000/microL appears to be an adverse prognostic parameter in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to a second-line chemotherapy.
Nather
Andreas
A
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Vienna University Medical School, A-1090 Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Austria. andreas.nather@univie.ac.at
Mayerhofer
Klaus
K
Grimm
Christoph
C
Hefler
Lukas
L
Leodolter
Sepp
S
Obermair
Andreas
A
Joura
Elmar A
EA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000209:etiology*