62 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian adenocarcinoma (37 stage III, 4 stage IV and 22 recurrent lesions) were treated in our hospital from 1977 to 1981, 38 patients underwent surgery. 25 with inoperable tumor initially received preoperative chemotherapy (VCF protocol: vincristine + cyclophosphamide + fluorouracil chiefly) followed by surgery. The response rate of chemotherapy was 48%. Apart from 1 progressive tumor during chemotherapy, 24/25 were explored. There were 10/24 with residual tumor less than 2 cm in diameter, giving a resection rate of 41.7% as compared with the resection rate of 42.1% (16/38) in the operation group. It is shown that the preoperative chemotherapy improves the resection rate. 44 patients received postoperative chemotherapy and 12, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy only. The overall 2.3 and 5 year survival rates of these 63 patients were 39.7%, 31.7% and 23.8%. The 2 and 3 year survivals were 41.9% and 32.3% in 31 patients with postoperative chemotherapy using VCF protocol. The results indicate that VCF protocol is effective for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, especially patients with residual tumor less than 2 cm in size. Chemotherapy with more than 3 courses has better effect.