Second-look laparotomy after modified posterior exenteration: patterns of persistence and recurrence in patients with stage III and stage IV ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of persistence and recurrence in patients with advanced ovarian cancer (stage IIIC and stage IV) after modified posterior exenteration. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review was used to determine patterns of persistence and recurrence of disease in patients undergoing modified posterior exenteration. From January 1, 1987, to September 15, 1998, 151 of 212 (71.2%) patients undergoing modified posterior exenteration in addition to other cytoreductive surgical procedures for stage IIIC and stage IV ovarian cancer underwent second-look laparotomy. The average age of the patients was 60.3 years (range, 20.3-86.3). A total of 207 of the 212 (97.6%) had grade 2 or 3 disease. Papillary serous carcinoma (113/212; 53.3%) and adenocarcinoma (75/212; 35.4%) were the most frequent cell types encountered. After initial cytoreductive surgery, minimal disease (<5 mm) was present in 206 of the 212 (96.2%) patients with 153 of 212 (72.2%) having no visible residual disease. There were 4 (1.9%) postoperative deaths. In 13 patients (6.1%) progressive disease was noted. Second-look laparotomy was not undertaken in 61 of the 212 (28%) patients. Fluid for cytologic testing was obtained from all four intra-abdominal quadrants, and biopsies of previously noted sites of disease were performed, in addition to random biopsies of diaphragmatic peritoneum, colonic gutters, and pelvic peritoneum. If present, the retroperitoneal lymph nodes were resected; biopsy specimens of these sites were obtained if there was no evidence of intraperitoneal disease. RESULTS: Findings at second-look laparotomy were negative for cancer in 85 of 151 (56.3%) and positive for cancer in 66 of 151 (43.7%). Only 8 of 151 (5.3%) patients had persistent disease in the pelvis. In the remainder (58/151; 38.4%) disease was found either in the upper abdomen or in the bowel mesentery. Recurrence was documented in the upper abdomen only (71/212; 33.5%), upper abdomen and pelvis (18/212; 8.5%), multiple sites excluding the pelvis (22/212; 10.4%), pelvis only (2/212; 0. 9%), chest alone (5/212; 2.4%), head alone (4/212; 1.9%), or groin alone (2/212; 0.9%). Median survival in the overall group was 51.1 months, with estimated 5- and 10-year survival rates of 44.2% and 32. 9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Modified posterior exenteration is an effective surgical means of eliminating pelvic disease in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Results of second-look laparotomy confirmed that only 8 of 151 (5.3%) had persistent disease in the pelvis.