Drug sensitivity-related benefit of systematic lymphadenectomy during cytoreductive surgery in optimally debulked stages IIIc and IV ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to assess the survival experience following systematic lymphadenectomy (LNX) in conjunction with primary but optimal cytoreductive surgery in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) patients when followed by intensive chemotherapy.


METHODS
This is a retrospective analysis of all women with OC who were treated in our institution between 1992 and 2000. A total of 98 patients with stages IIIc-IV of OC underwent primary cytoreductive surgery which was 'optimal' (<1 cm residual disease). All patients subsequently received postoperative platinum-containing chemotherapy. Group I, consisting of 51 patients underwent LNX; Group II, consisting of 47 patients did not undergo LNX. The percentage of patients failing to respond to chemotherapy in each group was similar. Each group had statistically equivalent age, stage, regimens of chemotherapy performed, and all other known prognostic factors.


RESULTS
No survival benefit could be seen in platinum-sensitive patients. However, in patients who failed to respond to chemotherapy, the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) (42.8% vs. 14.3%) and overall survival (OS) (51.2% vs. 28.8%) was quite different. LNX significantly improved those of drug-resistant patients when optimal cytoreductive surgery was performed [P = 0.008, risk ratio (rr) = 2.675, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.251-5.724]. Cox's proportional analysis shows that LNX was one of the three most significant covariate with the tumor grade and the number of postoperative residual lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that LNX might be of benefit in patients who have optimal primary cytoreductive surgery and who do not respond to platinum-based chemotherapy.
Isonishi
Seiji
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 4-11-1 Izumi-honnchou, Komae, Tokyo 201-8601, Japan. isonishi@jikei.ac.jp
Niimi
Shigeki
S
Sasaki
Hiroshi
H
Ochiai
Kazunori
K
Yasuda
Makoto
M
Tanaka
Tadao
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000077146:Irinotecan; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin