Feasibility and outcome of primary laparoscopic cytoreductive surgery for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: a comparison to laparotomic surgery in retrospective cohorts

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and outcome of primary laparoscopic cytoreductive surgery on advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in comparison with conventional open surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing primary laparoscopic cytoreductive surgery (LCS) from March 2007 to December 2016 were matched to controls treated with laparotomic cytoreduction during the same period. Procedural data and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The LCS group (n = 64) and laparotomic group (n = 68) had similar age, BMI, stages, histologic type and grading. The LCS group exhibited significantly less operating time (P < 0.001), less intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001), and shorter time to recover postoperatively (P = 0.002). No statistical difference was observed for the number of pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes dissected (P = 0.326 and P = 0.151). Significant difference was observed in satisfaction of the cytoreduction (95.3% vs. 76.5%, P = 0.008). No significant difference were observed either in intra-operative or in post-operative complications between the two groups (P = 0.250). Three patients in the LCS group experienced intra-operative complications (4.7%) and were all treated laparoscopically. The conversion rate was 3.1%. No significant differences were observed in the progression-free survival and overall survival between the two groups during the medium follow-up of 18 months (P = 0.236 and P = 0.216). The 2-year and 3-year progression-free survival was 67.9%, 55.5% in LCS group and 53.8%, 33.3% respectively in the control group. The 2-year and 3-year overall survival was 95.8%, 88.7% respectively in the LCS group and 89.0%, 83.7% in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Primary laparoscopic cytoreductive surgery in some strictly selected advanced stages of EOC patients was feasible and safe, resulting in oncologic outcomes not inferior to those in open surgery.