Advanced ovarian cancer: long-term results following chemotherapy and second-look laparotomy

Thirty patients who showed a complete clinical response to cis-platinum-containing combination chemotherapy underwent second-look laparotomy. Seventeen patients (56.7%) achieved a pathologically confirmed complete remission as documented by a negative second-look laparotomy. After a minimum follow-up of 60 months, 6 of 17 patients developed recurrent disease and subsequently died. Due to the occurrence of late relapse in these negative second-look patients routine second-look laparotomy to confirm pathological response cannot be justified. Ten of thirty patients underwent secondary cytoreductive surgery at second-look operation. All ten patients had suboptimal initial debulking surgery. Five of these ten patients (50%) survived 4 years. Secondary cytoreductive surgery may improve survival in patients who undergo suboptimal initial debulking surgery.