Improved survival of patients with ovarian cancer in Northern Denmark, 1985-2004

Objective: Ovarian cancer is a serious disease with a high mortality. Our aim was to examine changes in the survival of patients with ovarian cancer in Northern Denmark.

Study design and setting: Patients (no. = 3,719) with an incident discharge diagnosis of ovarian cancer (1985-2004) from any hospital in four Danish counties (population, 1.6 million) were included and tracked for mortality through the Danish Civil Registration System. We determined survival and mortality rates stratified by age, and used Cox proportional hazard regression analyses to assess changes over time.

Results: Overall survival rate improved between 1985 and 2004. One-year survival increased from 61% to 73%, and five-year survival from 30% to 38%. Compared with the period 1985-1989 the age-adjusted one-year mortality rate ratio (MRR) was 0.65 (2000-2004) and the age-adjusted five-year MRR was 0.80 (1995-1999). The improvement was most pronounced in patients older than 40 years.

Conclusion: The survival of ovarian cancer patients has improved in Denmark in recent decades. This change may be the result of improved treatment.

Ovarian neoplasm; Outcome research; Survival

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