Purpose: To compare the survival and prognostic factors of patients with synchronous primary ovarian and endometrial cancers, and endometrial cancers metastatic to the ovaries.
Patients and methods: Fifty-three patients with synchronous primary ovarian and endometrial cancer and 64 patients with endometrial cancer metastatic to the ovaries were evaluated.
Results: Mean follow-up time was 47.2 months (18-170 months). There was no statistical difference in age, gravidity and parity between the two groups. Abnormal vaginal bleeding was the most common symptom in both groups. All patients were subjected to a surgical staging procedure. Overall survival of the synchronous group was significantly higher than that of the metastatic group (98 +/- 12 vs 59 +/- 6 months; p = 0.048). The significant prognostic factors for synchronous cancers after multivariate analysis were age, stage of ovarian cancer, grade of endometrial cancer, and adjuvant therapy status.
Conclusion: Patients with synchronous ovarian and endometrial cancers appear to have a good prognosis and should undergo primary surgical staging since the stage of tumors is a significant prognostic factor.