title: Interval laparoscopy as predictor of response to chemotherapy in ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Fifty-one patients with FIGO stage III and IV ovarian adenocarcinoma underwent six-month interval laparoscopy for assessment of chemotherapy response. Thirty-nine of these patients were followed by a second-look procedure at 12 months or to disease progression if it occurred earlier. A positive interval laparoscopy was predictive of disease in 91% of patients, whereas a negative interval laparoscopy showed absence of disease at second look in only 70.5% of patients. A positive laparoscopic biopsy at six months showed presence of disease at second look procedure in 100% (11 of 11) of patients. It is concluded that either an intensive initial chemotherapy or change in therapy such as intraperitoneal chemotherapy after positive interval laparoscopy is indicated in future studies.
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors