Palliative cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Seventeen patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma underwent aggressive cytoreductive surgery ["Debulking"] at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Thirteen patients [76.5%] had large bowel surgery, 5 [29.4%] had colostomy, and 2[11.8%] had urinary tract segmental resection performed. All patients received postoperative chemotherapy in the form of cis-platinum and cyclophosphamide. The patients were divided into two groups group 1 [N = 9] consisted of those patients who died within 12 months of undergoing surgery, and group 2 [N = 8] comprised of those who survived for more than 12 months following surgery. Data from these patients was analysed and eight factors including nationality, age, parity, menopausal status, ascitic fluid volume, stage and grade of the carcinoma, as well as its histological type were studied. However, except for the stage of the disease, none of these factors was found to be significant in predicting survival of more than 12 months following surgery. We conclude that cytoreductive surgery has a role in palliation, however, the variables presented cannot be utilised to predict survival in females with advanced carcinoma of the ovaries