Surgical treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: report of 21 cases and a review of the literature

Aim: To evaluate the role of secondary cytoreductive surgery in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Patients and methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 21 patients submitted to secondary cytoreductive surgery for apparently isolated and resectable recurrence of ovarian cancer, after a disease-free interval of at least 12 months. Results: Fifteen patients (71%) had complete surgical debulking with no macroscopic tumor at the completion of the surgical procedure. Eight patients (38%) required an intestinal resection but no colostomy was performed. Eleven complications were recorded in nine patients, but no operative death occurred. The median survival time for all patients after diagnosis of recurrent disease was 29 months (range 6–96 months). Survival time after diagnosis of recurrence was not significantly related either to known prognostic factors of ovarian cancer or to the length of the clinical remission time. The absence of residual disease after salvage surgery was the only factory associated with prolonged survival. Conclusion: Secondary cytoreductive surgery is a safe procedure which should be offered to recurrent ovarian cancer patients with apparently isolated and resectable disease, and without ascitis.