[Second look operation from the current viewpoint]

Tumor reduction or elimination during primary surgery is the most important goal to aim at. Platinum-containing poly-chemotherapies led to an increase in remissions. However, highly advanced technologies (computed tomography, ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance) and combined analysis of tumor markers are not sensitive enough to evaluate tumor-free status. A false-positive rate up to 33% at the time of second-look surgery was assessed in patients in clinical complete remission. Therapeutic second-look surgery with the purpose of tumor reduction is not capable to prolong the patient's survival time. Therefore, second-look surgery is limited to a diagnostic procedure, resulting in an objective assessment of newly developed therapy strategies.