title: Second-look laparotomy in the management of fallopian tube carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of second-look laparotomy following platinum-based combination chemotherapy in patients with fallopian tube carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was conducted on 21 patients with tubal carcinoma who underwent second-look laparotomy following cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based combination chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (62%) were found to be free of disease at second-look operation. Neither stage nor grade were predictive of findings at second-look procedure. The absence of gross residual disease following primary surgery was the only predictor of disease-free status at second-look laparotomy (p < 0.01). With a mean follow-up of 49 months among the survivors, four (31%) of the patients with negative second-look laparotomy have had a recurrence. The median survival following a positive second-look laparotomy was 18 months (range 5-42 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Second-look laparotomy provides useful prognostic information in patients with tubal carcinoma. The high rate of recurrent disease after negative second-look laparotomy, and the lack of an effective second-line treatment in patients with persistent disease, represent major criticisms of this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cormio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maneo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lissoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangioni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging