PALLIATIVE BENEFIT OF RADIATION-THERAPY IN ADVANCED OVARIAN-CANCER

Fifty-five courses of palliative radiation therapy were given to patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The treatments were evaluated for their effectiveness in palliating a variety of symptoms (bowel obstructions, pulmonary metastases causing dyspnea, CNS metastases causing dizziness and mental status changes, lower-extremity edema, pain, and vaginal bleeding and discharge). In addition, the time commitment to therapy and the symptom-free interval relative to the patient's survival from the initiation of radiation therapy were evaluated to assess true palliative benefit. © 1990.