Prognosis

The majority of patients (70% to 80%) will achieve a complete clinical remission after first-line therapy for ovarian cancer (debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy).[230] When patients relapse, the most important prognostic factor is the treatment-free interval or time from completion of first-line therapy to diagnosis of recurrence.

For patients with platinum-resistant or refractory disease, the overall prognosis is poor, as the likelihood of responding to second-line agents is estimated between 15% to 20%.[153][231][232]

For patients who have recurrent disease that is platinum sensitive, response rates for second-line therapy improve as the treatment-free interval increases.

The 5-year relative survival rate (2014 to 2020) is:[233]

  • 75% for women aged <50 years

  • 34.3% for women aged >65 years

  • 91.9% for women with localised disease at diagnosis

  • 30.7% for women with distant disease at diagnosis.

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer