Article Text
Abstract
Introduction The incidence of advanced-stage ovarian cancer diagnoses is steadily rising, leading to a high recurrence rate and a five-year survival rate of less than 45%. Our study aims to investigate the efficacy of lymph node dissection and identify recurrence risk factors in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).
Methods A retrospective study conducted at the Salah Azaiez Institute of Oncology from 2017 to 2022 assessed recurrence risk in advanced EOC patients.
Results Out of 48 patients who underwent interval debulking surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced ovarian cancer (stage IIIC and IV), 42 (87.5%) achieved complete tumor resection. The recurrence rate was 35.4%. Patients who underwent pelvic and paraaortic lymph node dissection exhibited similar recurrence rates (42.5% and 43%, respectively; p=0.12). Those with lymph node involvement (25%) had a significantly higher recurrence rate (58.3%, p=0.01). Patients who received consolidation chemotherapy (77%) showed a lower risk of recurrence, although not statistically significant (p=0.28). Significant differences were found in overall and progression-free survival between patients who underwent lymph node dissection and those who didn’t. Median overall survival was 67 vs. 24 months (p=0.01), and progression-free survival mean rates were 42 vs. 14 months (p=0.01).
Conclusion/Implications Our research indicates that lymph node dissection may improve survival rates without reducing recurrence risk in advanced ovarian cancer. Nonetheless, consolidation chemotherapy shows promise in lowering recurrence rates for these patients.