Impact of laparoscopy to assess resectability in stage IIIC epithelial ovarian, tubal and peritoneal cancer patients

Aims: To evaluate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with stage IIIC epithelial ovarian, tubal and peritoneal cancer (EOC) who underwent a laparoscopy to assess surgical resectability prior to Primary Debulking Surgery (PDS) or Interval Debulking Surgery (IDS). Methods: Retrospective cohort study that included all women with stage IIIC EOC treated at our center between 2000 and 2010. Patients were classified in groups: PDS, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with IDS, NACT without IDS; and then sub-classified based on residual tumor (RT). A laparoscopy to assess resectability was performed before PDS and IDS. Results: Among 111 patients included, 66 underwent PDS, and 45 were treated with NACT, 80% of them receiving subsequent IDS. OS was 75.6 months in the PDS group, and 52.8 months for IDS group (p = 0.100); the PFS was 30 months and 19.2 months respectively (p = 0.049). Median OS was 104.4 and 52.8 months for patients with optimal cytoreduction (RT = 0) in the PDS and IDS group respectively (p < 0.05). Laparoscopy did not modify the preoperative consideration for PDS; however, 9 laparotomies were avoided based on laparoscopic findings after NACT. Conclusion: Laparoscopy for the assessment of surgical resectability in stage IIIC EOC has no impact on survival; but it still could be useful for the reduction of unnecessary laparotomies after NACT.