Correlation between the extent of intraperitoneal disease and nodal metastasis in node-positive ovarian cancer patients

Abstract Aims To investigate correlations between extent of disease (ED), frequency and location of nodal metastases in node-positive EOC patients. Methods Data were collected from 116 consecutive patients who underwent systematic lymphadenectomy during primary surgery. Patients were grouped in ED1 (disease confined in pelvis), ED2 (disease extended to abdomen), and ED3 (distant metastases). Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS). Results Correspondence analysis revealed associations between ED1 and negative nodes, ED2 and positive aortic/pelvic nodes, and ED3 and positive external and common iliac nodes. The most representative group for nodal metastases in ED1 was aortic nodes (77.8%). The number of positive pelvic nodes increased with ED; the RR was 0.58 for ED2 and 0.25 for ED3 ( p = 0.004). The RR for positive external iliac nodes was 0.66 in ED2 and 0.31 in ED3 ( p = 0.002); the RR for positive common iliac nodes was 0.76 and 0.17, respectively ( p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that aortic nodal metastasis was associated with PFS ( p = 0.03; HR, 1.95). Conclusion Distribution and percentage of nodal metastases varied with ED. The risk of pelvic nodal metastasis, increased with ED. Location of positive nodes was correlated with PFS.