Second-look laparotomy in ovarian carcinoma patients after 8 and after 12 courses of cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Abstract

Sixteen ovarian carcinoma patients who received 12 courses and 21 patients who received 8 courses of cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy were compared. The two groups showed similar rates of second-look laparotomy (10/16 vs. 14/21) and similar rates of negative second-look laparotomies (6/10 vs. 9/14). The advantages of earlier reexploration are possibly lower toxicity and earlier recognition of patients with tumors resistant to the initial chemotherapy.