title: Is laparoscopic oophorectomy rational in patients with breast cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unsuspected malignancy remains a problem for the laparoscopic surgeon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of ovarian micrometastasis in patients with breast cancer who undergo laparoscopic oophorectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 25 premenopausal women with breast cancer who underwent therapeutic laparoscopic oophorectomy. The patients were subdivided into the following two groups according to ovarian pathology: group A with and group B without breast carcinoma micrometastasis. We then reviewed the follow-up data for both groups, with special attention to metastasis of the abdominal wall.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve of 44 ovaries removed by laparoscopy showed ovarian breast carcinoma micrometastasis. There were no predictive factors of micrometastasis. After a mean follow-up of 38.1 months (95% CI: 29.2-46.9 months), none of the patients with proven micrometastasis developed metastasis of the abdominal wall, and the 21 puncture sites were inconspicuous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although 32% of patients may have unexpected ovarian micrometastasis, laparoscopic oophorectomy in patients with breast cancer remains a safe procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dreher
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eggimann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Altermatt
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hänggi
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment