Thrombocytosis and anaemia in women with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to a second-line chemotherapy

To investigate the incidence and the prognostic value of platelet count and serum haemoglobin (Hb) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to second-line chemotherapy.Clinical records were reviewed for 31 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Survival analysis was evaluated by univariate (Kaplan-Meier product limit method and log-rank test) analysis. We analysed the results for the overall survival. Anaemia and thrombocytosis were defined as a serum Hb level12 g/dl and as platelet count300,000/microL, respectively.Thrombocytosis and tumour anaemia were present in 55% and 42% of the patients, respectively. Tumour anaemia was of no prognostic value with respect to overall survival in our series. In patients with thrombocytosis, the median survival rate was reduced (p = 0.05).Our data suggest that a platelet count300,000/microL appears to be an adverse prognostic parameter in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer prior to a second-line chemotherapy.