A prospective comparison of perioperative morbidity in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: Primary versus interval cytoreduction - experience from India

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to compare perioperative morbidity and mortality of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) treated with either of the two treatment approaches; neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking versus upfront surgery. DESIGN: Prospective comparative observational study. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 51 patients were included in the study. All patients with diagnosed advanced EOC (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics IIIC and IV) presenting for the 1(st) time were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were either operated upfront (n = 19) if deemed operable or were subjected to NACT followed by interval debulking (n = 32). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Intra- and postoperative morbidity and mortality were the primary outcome measures. RESULTS: Patients with interval cytoreduction were noted to have significantly lesser operative time, blood loss, and extent of surgery. Their discharge time was also significantly earlier. However, they did not differ from the other group vis. a vis. postoperative complications or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy although has a positive impact on various intraoperative adverse events, fails to show any impact on immediate postoperative negative outcomes.