Second-look laparoscopy in ovarian cancer

Forty-six patients with epithelial ovarian cancer previously treated with surgery, chemotherapy or external radiation underwent second-look laparoscopy to evaluate management. Twenty of the patients had positive laparoscopic findings and were not subjected to further laparotomy. The frequency of positive findings was related to the stage of the disease. Laparoscopic examination revealed no evidence of cancer in the remaining 26 patients. Three of the patients in this group were found to have additional disease at subsequent laparotomy. The laparoscopic procedures were not associated with major complications. Although second-look laparoscopy cannot replace repeat laparotomy, it does have a role in the follow-up of patients with ovarian cancer.