Cytoreductive surgery is feasible in patients with limited regional platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the efficacy of cytoreductive surgery versus chemotherapy for the treatment of limited regional, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records of all patients with PROC treated in our center between March 2015 and March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the oncology outcomes of patients who received cytoreduction or chemotherapy alone at relapse and presented information about postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Among 52 patients with limited regional recurrence, 40.4% (21/52) underwent cytoreduction because of platinum resistance, and 59.6% (31/52) received chemotherapy alone. No residual disease (R0) was achieved in 20 patients (95.2%). The severe morbidity rate within 30 days after the surgery was 15%. The median follow-up was 70.6 months. Compared with the chemotherapy alone group, the surgery group with R0 had better progression-free survival (PFS) (10.6 vs. 5.1 months; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.421; P = 0.0035) and post-relapse survival (PRS) (32.6 vs. 16.3 months; HR = 0.478; P = 0.047), but there was no difference in overall survival (OS) between the two groups. Laparoscopy is associated with lesser intraoperative blood loss with no differences in survival and postoperative complications compared to the open approach (P = 0.0042). Subgroup survival analysis showed that compared with chemotherapy alone, surgery prolonged PFS in patients regardless of tumor size (greater than or equal to 4 cm or less). Surgery group patients who achieved R0 had an objective response rate (ORR) of 36.8% (7/19), among whom 40% (4/10) received platinum rechallenge chemotherapy and 33.3% (3/9) were administered non-platinum chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: When well-selected PROC patients with limited regional recurrence achieved R0, their outcomes were superior to those of patients who received only chemotherapy with an acceptable morbidity rate. Laparoscope technology could be a reliable alternative surgical approach. The reintroduction of platinum agents may be considered following surgery. Further analyses in a larger population are warranted to elucidate the risks and benefits of this surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy strategy. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-023-03230-3.