[Progress in preoperative evaluation methods regarding cytoreduction in patients with advanced ovarian cancer]

Primary cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy represents the standard treatment for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. But some patients with advanced ovarian cancer still have suboptimal residual disease after the primary debulking surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been suggested as an alternative strategy to achieve no residual disease. It is important to find methods to estimate the likelihood that cytoreductive surgery will leave no residual disease. A number of studies have evaluated the use of serologic markers (such as CA-125), imaging modalities (such as CT, PETCT, MRI), and laparoscopic surgery to determine which patients are ideal predictors for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. As a new approach of assessment for preoperative evaluation regarding cytoreduction, laparoscopic surgery deserves further research.