title: Laparoscopic treatment of early ovarian cancer: surgical and survival outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic surgery in patients with early ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 05-1996 and 06-2003, 24 patients with ovarian cancer FIGO stage IA-B underwent either primary treatment or completion of staging by laparoscopy. Laparoscopic staging was performed according to the FIGO guidelines, which entails one-sided oophorectomy or bilateral salpingo-ophorectomy with laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, infrarenal para-aortic lymphadenectomy, complete resection of the infundibulo-pelvic ligament, appendectomy and partial omentectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven out of 24 patients (45.8%) underwent completion of staging after a mean of 12 days (range 4-21) after primary surgery, while 13 patients out of 24 (54.2%) underwent primary laparoscopic management of an adnexal mass, diagnosed as ovarian cancer by frozen section. Mean operative time was 166 min (range 118-206) for completion of staging and 182 min (range 141-246) for primary surgery. No major intraoperative complication occurred. One out of 24 patients (4.1%) developed chylos ascites postoperatively, which was managed conservatively. Five out of 24 patients (20.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy after a median time of 7 days (mean 5-14) following surgery. No trocar metastasis occurred. Median follow-up is 46.4 months (range 2-72). Two out of 24 patients (8.3%) developed recurrence, which was treated with resurgery and chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 46 months, disease-free survival is 91.6% and overall survival 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic management of early ovarian cancer is safe and effective and survival outcome seems acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: Christhardt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome