Role of an early second-look laparotomy in ovarian cancer

Of a group of 68 patients treated with standard polychemotherapy (CAP-5), 52 were evaluated by an early second-look laparotomy, preferably after three cycles of treatment. Of 21 patients with initial tumor residuals smaller than 2 cm, only 5 had residual tumor, and of 31 patients with tumor larger than 2 cm, 27 had residuals, which could be surgically debulked in 9 patients. Surgical evaluation led to termination of treatment in 6 patients with stable disease and to intensification of treatment in 5 younger patients with microscopic or bulky residuals. Thus, the second-look influenced therapeutic decisions and treatment policy in a total of 20 patients. The procedure went without severe complications for the duration of anesthesia; there was no difference between biopsy and debulking, but a larger amount of blood was lost during debulking surgery. Second-look laparotomy is well tolerated but should be performed only in selected cases, depending on the therapeutic options available.