Pelvic exenteration--reconsidering the procedure

Pelvic exenteration remains one of the most destructive surgical procedures in gynecologic oncology, performed in patients with locally advanced malignancies who were considered for a long time as unresectable. However, for these patients, an aggressive surgical approach seems to be the only potential curative solution. This is a literature review of the most important studies, which analyzes the benefits and the secondary risks of this demanding procedure.