Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

Abstract

Primary debulking surgery by a gynecologic oncologist remains the standard of care in advanced ovarian cancer. Optimal debulking surgery should be defined as no residual tumor load. In retrospective analyses, neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery does not seem to worsen prognosis compared to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy. However, we will have to wait for the results of future randomized trials to know whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery is as good as primary debulking surgery in stage IIIC and IV patients. Interval debulking is defined as an operation performed after a short course of induction chemotherapy. Based on the randomized European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Gynecological Cancer Group (EORTC-GCG) trial, interval debulking by an experienced surgeon improves survival in some patients who did not undergo optimal primary debulking surgery. Based on Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) 152 data, interval debulking surgery does not seem to be indicated in patients who underwent primarily a maximal surgical effort by a gynecologic oncologist. Open laparoscopy is probably the most valuable tool for evaluating the operability primarily or at the time of interval debulking surgery.