Limited epithelial carcinoma of the ovary treated with curative intent by the intraperitoneal installation of radiocolloids

Between January 1960 and September 1972, 104 patients with limited epithelial carcinoma of the ovary received intraperitoneal radiocolloid. Fifty‐six of these patients also received external beam radiation therapy to the pelvis (pelvic RT). Five‐year actuarial no‐evidence‐of‐disease survival rates were 95% for stage Iai, 82% for Iaii, 73% for Ib, 67% for Ic, 67% for IIa, 67% for IIb without gross residual tumor (GRT), 25% for IIb with GRT, and 50% for III with minimal or no GRT. The addition of pelvic RT following radiocolloid could not be shown to affect survival of patients with Stage I and IIa tumors. Small bowel complications were related to the use of pelvic RT, however, occurring in 2.2% of patients treated with radiocolloid alone and 24% of patients treated with colloid and pelvic RT (p < 0.005). In patients who underwent abdominal surgery following treatment of ovarian cancer, no excessive complication rate was observed. We conclude that for patients with stages Iaii through IIa, postoperative radiocolloid appears to provide the greatest chance of survival with the least chance of complication. For patients with Stage IIb and III lesions in whom there is minimal or no GRT, radiocolloid followed by pelvic RT produced survival rates comparable or superior to any other form of postoperative therapy. Cancer 42:2563–2571, 1978.