title: When to perform palliative surgery in the treatment of ovarian cancer: a brief review.
abstract: The objective of this review was to address the main indications for palliative surgery in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles from MEDLINE/PUBMED, EMBASE, and LILACS databases up to May 05, 2012 were included with no bars on foreign languages. The key words used were taken from the Medical Subject Headings and were as follows: ovarian cancer AND palliative surgery, ovarian cancer AND complications, and ovarian cancer AND intestinal obstruction. Subsequently, the references from the original articles were also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the complications developing in the course of malignant neoplasia, intestinal obstruction stands out as the main indication for palliative surgery, which may also be indicated for rectovaginal and enterovaginal fistulas, as well as for genital and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although incurable, the patients with complications due to ovarian cancer may have an extended survival and an improved quality of life with palliative surgery for the following reasons: a) improvement in the nutritional state after treatment for intestinal obstruction due to the possibility of oral nutrition; and b) improvement in clinical conditions, allowing for palliative chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Centro Oncológico Antônio Ermírio de Moraes, Beneficência Portuguesa em São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. urbruiz@terra.com.br
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbano-Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Endocrinologia Ginecológica do Departamento de Ginecologia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Ginecologia do Departamento de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: E Vieira
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: da Motta
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Anhembi, Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Granuzzo
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Anhembi, Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: C Carneiro
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Julião
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Ginecologia do Departamento de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: E Chada
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Baracat
mesh_terms: D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010166:Palliative Care; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014624:Vaginal Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*