title: Is laparotomy for staging early ovarian cancer an absolute necessity?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate that palpation of the omentum, mesentery, and intestine can be omitted from the laparoscopic staging of stage I carcinoma of the ovary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 223 women with stages III and IV ovarian cancer treated by laparotomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gynecological Oncology Clinic, M. Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observation of macroscopic spread of tumor to areas accessible to laparoscopic inspection versus spread to areas inaccessible to laparoscopic evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macroscopically detectable disease in the areas easily accessible to laparoscopic inspection was present in all cases of metastases to the mesentery, omentum, or intestine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of FIGO stage I ovarian cancer can be made with confidence if laparoscopic inspection of certain areas reveals no evidence of metastases.
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik, Klinik am Eichert, Postgraduate Clinic of University Ulm, 73006 Göppingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Possover
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mader
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hettenbach
mesh_terms: D000290:Adnexa Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008643:Mesentery / Q000473:pathology; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009852:Omentum / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010173:Palpation; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary