Background: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the accuracy of additional staging laparoscopy (SL) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) to predict futile laparotomy (FL).
Methods: Systematic review according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement (PRISMA) criteria. Clinical studies investigating the role of SL in selecting women with AEOC for primary debulking surgery (PDS) were included. Index test: SL. Reference test: laparotomy. Target condition: incomplete cytoreduction (CR) with remaining disease<1 cm.
Results: Nine prospective and retrospective studies reporting on eight cohorts totalizing 778 LS were included. Reference test was completed in 76 % cases. PPV for FL was between 0.69 and 1.0. In three studies examining the value of a predictive index value (PIV) for predicting FL, sensitivity of the index test (LS with PIV ≥8) was between 46% and 70 %, and specificity between 89 % and 100 %. The proportion of patients that received CR during PDS differed widely between studies (from 50 to 91). Using a PIV did not increase the sensitivity and might result in more patients receiving FL. In the only randomized trial, FL occurred in 10 (10 %) of 102 patients in the LS group versus 39 (39 %) of 99 patients in the primary PDS group (relative risk, 0.25; 95 % CI, 0.13-0.47; p<0.001). Port-site recurrences occurred in 2%-6 % patients. Overall costs of with or without SL were comparable.
Conclusions: The evidence available from this systematic review supports the inclusion of an additional LS to the conventional initial diagnostic workup in women with AEOC.
Keywords: advanced epithelial ovarian cancer; diagnostic test; laparoscopy; staging.