Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and morbidity of total laparoscopic debulking surgery in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Methods/materials: We performed a retrospective review of laparoscopic approach in patients with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer (International Federation of GynaecologyObstetrics stages IIIC-IV) who received 3 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, from January 2010 to December 2014, at the Gynaecologic Oncologic Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Results: A total of 30 patients were included. The median age was 50 years (range, 26-73 years), median body mass index was 24.5 kg/m (range, 19-39 kg/m). All patients had good clinical response to 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All women underwent a complete debulking surgery with no residual disease. The median operating time was 152 minutes (range, 70-335 minutes), the median blood loss was 70 mL (range, 50-200 mL). The median number of removed pelvic lymph nodes was 15 (range, 13-25). There was 1 (3.3%) intraoperative complication and 2 (6.6%) postoperative short-term complications. The median length of hospital stay was 4 days (range, 3-13 days). The median follow-up was 15 months (range, 2-54 months). Twenty-six patients are free from recurrence at the time of this report.
Conclusions: Laparoscopic cytoreduction in patients with advanced ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, when performed by skilled surgeons, seems feasible and may decrease the impact of aggressive surgery on high-morbidity patients, such as on women after chemotherapy.