Optimal Timing of a Second-Look Operation for Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

• Published in: Kurume medical journal Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 15 - 21
• Main Authors: USHIJIMA, KIMIO, NISHIDA, TAKASHI, OHKURA, NAOFUMI, SUGIYAMA, TORU, KOMAI, KAN, SHINAGAWA, ATSUHIKO, IHA, ICHIRO, TANAKA, HIROAKI, YAKUSHIJI, MICHIAKI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Kurume University School of Medicine 1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; false negative of SLO; Female; Humans; initial surgery; microscopic positive SLO; Middle Aged; ovarian cancer; Ovarian Neoplasms - surgery; Reoperation; Retrospective Studies; second-look operation; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0023-5679; 1881-2090
• DOI: 10.2739/kurumemedj.44.15

To clarify the optimal timing of second look operation (SLO) for advanced ovarian cancer, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 53 patients with FIGO stage 2, 3 and 4 epithelial ovarian cancer. SLOs were performed more than 12 months after primary surgery in 35 patients (late SLOs), and immediately after first-line chemotherapy in 18 patients (early SLOs). We examined data on SLO findings and patients' clinical courses. SLO findings were positive 5 (27.7%) of 18 in the early SLO group and in 11 (31.4%) of 35 in late SLO group. Positive findings were detected by washing cytology in 3 (60%) of the 5 in the early SLO group compared with 2 (18.2%) of the 11 in the late SLO group. Patients with microscopic disease had better prognosis than patients with macro lesions. False-negative SLO findings were 30.8% in the early SLO group and 12.5% in the late SLO group . All patients who recurred after negative SLOs had grade 2 and 3 tumors. The benefits of SLO were limited to accurate evaluation of first-line chemotherapy and early detection of persistent disease. In these implications, early performance of SLO is recommended.