Limited invasiveness to assess retroperitoneal spread in stage I-II ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of retroperitoneal metastases, survival rate and site of recurrence in early ovarian tumors undergoing limited retroperitoneal surgery.


METHODS
Three hundred seventy-three consecutive patients underwent assessment of the retroperitoneum consisting of intraoperative palpation with or without biopsies.


RESULTS
Retroperitoneal metastases were detected in 10 stage-I tumors (3.2%) and in 10 stage-II tumors (16%). The risk was inversely related to tumor differentiation. Palpation revealed metastases in 10 cases. During follow-up, none of the borderline tumors (1.9% of stage-I grade-1 node-negative, 2.7% of grade-2 and 7.0% of grade-3 tumors) recurred in the retroperitoneum. In stage II, two recurrences were observed in grade-2 tumors (11%) and one in grade 3 (4.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Limited retroperitoneal surgery enables satisfactory outcome in early ovarian cancers. Risk of retroperitoneal recurrence is minimal in grade 1 and non-existent in borderline tumors. Less differentiated tumors have low risk but further investigation of the therapeutic role of lymphadenectomy is justified.
Zanetta
G
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan, Monza, Italy.
Chiari
S
S
Barigozzi
P
P
Rota
S
S
Losa
G
G
Mangioni
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000556:secondary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate