ObjectivesThe aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to investigate the extent, feasibility, and outcomes of minimally invasive surgery at the time of interval debulking surgery in different gynecological cancer centers.Methods/MaterialsIn December 2016, 20 gynecological cancer centers were contacted by e-mail, to participate in the INTERNATIONAL MISSION study. Seven centers confirmed and five were included, with a total of 127 patients diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and minimally invasive interval surgery. Only women with a minimum follow-up time of 6 months from interval surgery or any cancer-related event before 6 months were included in the survival analysis. Baseline characteristics, chemotherapy, and operative data were evaluated. Survival analysis was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method.Results All patients had optimal cytoreduction at the time of interval surgery: among them, 122 (96.1%) patients had no residual tumor. Median operative time was 225 min (range 60 – 600) and median estimated blood loss was 100 mL (range 70 – 1320). Median time to discharge was 2 days (1–33) and estimated median time to start chemotherapy was 20 days (range 15 – 60). Six (4.7%) patients experienced intraoperative complications, with one patient experiencing two serious complications (bowel and bladder injury at the same time). There were six (4.7%) patients with postoperative short-term complications: among them, three patients had severe complications. The conversion rate to laparotomy was 3.9 %. Median follow-up time was 37 months (range 7 – 86): 74 of 127 patients recurred (58.3%) and 31 (24.4%) patients died from disease. Median progression-free survival was 23 months and survival at 5 years was 52 % (95% CI: 35 to 67).ConclusionsMinimally invasive surgery may be considered for the management of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, when surgery is limited to low-complexity standard cytoreductive procedures.

Comorbidities and intraoperative bleeding are the most relevant findings related to surgical complications. Surgical approach (PDS or IDS) was not related with complications. Surgical complications were significantly related to ACD.

Background: Surgical staging is associated with a significant rate of upstaging compared to clinical/radiological staging in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Objective: To analyze the stage-specific percentage of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases and the upstaging ratio in a prospective randomized trial (Uterus-11). Methods: FIGO stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer patients were randomized to surgical staging (arm A) or to clinical staging and primary chemoradiation (arm B). Arm B patients underwent CT-guided biopsy of suspicious para-aortic lymph nodes. Confirmed para-aortic metastasis patients received extended-field radiation therapy. Results: A total of 234 patients were enrolled, including 120 (arm A) and 114 (arm B) treated per protocol. The groups were well balanced. Pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases were identified after surgical staging in 51 and 24% of patients, respectively (p < 0.001). Pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases were confirmed in 45 and 20% of IIB patients and in 71 and 37% of IIIB patients, respectively. Upstaging occurred in 39/120 (33%) in arm A and in 9/114 (8%) in arm B (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The histological results in both groups led to a considerable rate of upstaging. Oncological data from the Uterus-11 study may reveal whether modified therapy translates into a survival benefit.

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