Abstract

Fifteen leading oncology centers from 15 European countries were polled about the necessity of 16 different surgical procedures for staging ovarian cancer. A considerable lack of agreement was found. Blind peritoneal biopsies are considered mandatory by only half of the participating institutes. Para-iliac lymph node sampling was regarded as an even less necessary step. General agreement was reported on the necessity to include peritoneal washing, infracolic omentectomy, inspection and palpation of all peritoneal surfaces, biopsies of suspect lesions, resection of adhesions adjacent to the primary tumor and para-aortic lymph node sampling. The rationale of the various staging steps is discussed. It is emphasized that attention should be devoted to achieve a consensus of surgical staging before multicenter trials in early ovarian cancer can be successfully undertaken.