The role of secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer (mEOC)

Background

Mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer (mEOC) may exhibit a distinct biological behavior in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The role of secondary cytoreductive surgery was evaluated in patients with recurrent mEOC, and the prognosis was assessed.

Methods

Twenty-one patients with stages IIc to IV mEOC who experienced disease recurrence and received secondary cytoreductive surgery at Fudan University Cancer Hospital between Jan. 1997 and Dec. 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan–Meier method and the significant comparison of survival rate was estimated by the log-rank test.

Results

The median progression-free interval (PFI) was 14 months (range, 5–46 months) after the first cytoreduction. Seven patients (33%) who received secondary cytoreductive surgery were optimally cytoreduced with residual disease less than or equal 1 cm, and the other 14 patients (67%) underwent suboptimal surgical cytoreduction. The overall median survival time was 27 months (range, 8–64 months). The median survival time after recurrence was 10 months (range, 3–32 months). There was no significant statistical difference in median survival between patients with optimal and suboptimal secondary surgical cytoreduction, with an estimated survival of 10 months and 9.8 months, respectively (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Optimal primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced mEOC was very important. Once it recurs, the prognosis is very poor. Patients with recurrent mEOC should be carefully assessed before performing secondary cytoreductive surgery, as this may have limited impact on the overall survival rates.