Background/aim: Tumour biopsy using laparoscopy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer has been widely accepted. However, there are few reports about its operative outcome compared to biopsy with laparotomy. We investigated the advantage of laparoscopic biopsy for advanced ovarian cancer.
Patients and methods: We included 23 patients who underwent laparoscopy and 27 who underwent exploratory laparotomy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy between January 2012 and August 2020. We reviewed their medical records and evaluated their operative outcomes.
Results: Blood loss was significantly lower in the laparoscopy group (5 ml vs. 320 ml, p<0.05). The period until the initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group (12 days vs. 16 days, p<0.05). Overall survival did not differ significantly between the two groups (25.4 months vs. 24.7 months, p=0.53).
Conclusion: Laparoscopic tumour biopsy is useful and safe for histological diagnosis, thereby allowing for early introduction to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Keywords: Advanced ovarian cancer; diagnostic laparoscopy; interval debulking surgery; laparoscopic surgery; tumour biopsy.
Copyright © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.