The role of pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy at second look surgery in apparent early stage ovarian cancer after inadequate surgical staging followed by adjuvant chemotherapy

Background Systematic aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy (SAPL) is a milestone procedure in the treatment of early stage ovarian cancer. It defines staging and prognosis and helps in tailoring adjuvant chemotherapy. Only limited data are available about SAPL at second look surgery in patients with apparent early stage ovarian cancer who underwent inadequate surgical staging and adjuvant platinum based chemotherapy. Methods From January 1991 through January 2013, 66 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IA-IIA epithelial ovarian carcinoma suboptimally surgically staged and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, were referred to our center and underwent second look surgery including SAPL. Results Twenty-two women underwent bilateral and 44 unilateral SAPL. A total of 2168 nodes were removed and analyzed. The median number of lymph nodes dissected was 29 (range 14-73); in particular it was 29 (range 14-60) in case of unilateral and 37 (range 17-73) in case of bilateral SAPL. Only one woman had nodal metastasis (1.5%). After a median follow-up of 78 months, 10 women (15.2%) relapsed and 5 (7.6%) died of progressive disease. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival are 91.7% and 96%. Conclusion The risk of nodal metastases in stage I-IIA unstaged ovarian cancer after adjuvant chemotherapy is negligible. Our study suggests that SAPL at second look is not indicated in this subset of women.