title: Ovarian carcinoma. The significance of restaging laparotomies with negative outcomes.
abstract: The role of restaging laparotomy in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma is currently being reevaluated. This study was initiated to examine the predictive value of a negative outcome. Between November 1974 and October 1983, sixty-three patients with no clinical evidence of disease underwent 70 restaging laparotomies for ovarian carcinoma. The findings of 34 (49%) of these procedures were negative for residual disease. Patient follow-up ranged from 30 to 137 months. Twenty-eight patients are alive with no evidence of disease with a median follow-up of 62 months. Four patients have died of a second primary tumor. Only two patients had recurrence of their ovarian carcinoma following restaging laparotomy with negative findings (recurrence rate, 5.9%; 13.3% for patients with advanced disease). Patients with negative findings at restaging laparotomy have an excellent prognosis and a good chance of being cured of their disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation