ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2021 March;180(3):65-71

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.04180-9

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Survival in relation to lymphatic metastasis and extent of lymph node dissection in connection with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Stanislav SLAVCHEV ¹, Strahil STRASHILOV ², Angel YORDANOV ³ ✉

¹ Clinic of Gynecology, St. Anna University Hospital, Varna, Bulgaria; ² Department of Plastic Restorative, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Pleven, Pleven, Bulgaria; ³ Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Medical University of Pleven, Pleven, Bulgaria

BACKGROUND: The advanced ovarian carcinoma remains one of the malignant diseases with worst prognosis. The lymphogenous metastasis is a characteritic feature of ovarian carcinoma. The tendency of increase of performing of lymphadenectomies during the last few years shows the potential role of the systematic lymph node dissection. Its precise significance for eradication of the tumor disease and survival of patients is to be determined.
METHODS: The study was performed based on retrospectively received data from 104 patients, who were operated for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in the period from 2004 to 2012. The surgical procedures were analyzed - in particular the extent of lymph node dissection and the presence of lymph metastases regarding the overall and relapse-free survival. The total population of patients (N.=104) was followed up for minimum period of 36 months, and it served for determination of the three-year survival - overall and relapse-free. In 78 of patients, the follow-up continued for at least five years, and this subgroup served for determination of the index of five-year survival.
RESULTS: When patients in stage III-IV according to FIGO classification of ovarian cancer were studied, the lymphadenectomy was connected with significantly higher overall survival and a tendency for higher five-year survival. The lymphatic metastasis is connected with lower overall survival and five-year survival with patients in stage III-IV, which is in conformity with its proved negative prognostic significance.
CONCLUSIONS: According to our study, there is presence of some data indicating a benefit from lymph node dissection in ovarian cancer.

KEY WORDS: Ovarian neoplasms; Lymph node excision; Lymphatic metastasis; Survival