Outcome of immediate re-operation or interval debulking after chemotherapy at a gynecologic oncology center after initially incomplete cytoreduction of advanced ovarian cancer.

Background: Prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer is largely determined by completeness of tumor resection achieved during primary surgery. Incomplete initial debulking occurs frequently in non-specialized centers and there is an ongoing discussion about the best time for re-surgery after referral to tertiary centers.

Methods: Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (FIGO IIIB-IV) admitted between 1999 and 2007 who had primary incomplete surgery including those with initiated chemotherapy at an outside institution were included.

Requirements to assess feasibility of phase 0 trials during major abdominal surgery: variability of PARP activity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of phase 0 trials in the setting of a routine surgical procedure. Logistic considerations, tissue sampling and tissue handling, and variability of a biomarker during surgery, in here PARP, were evaluated.

Experimental Design: Patients with highly suspicious or proven diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer, planned for debulking surgery were asked to allow sequential tumor biopsies during surgery.

Impact of a structured quality management program on surgical outcome in primary advanced ovarian cancer.

Objective: Surgical outcome in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) is an important prognostic factor and the only factor amendable to improvement by optimization. Therefore, introduction of quality management programs (QM) regarding the surgical therapy in ovarian cancer may help to improve outcome.

Methods: We introduced a specific ovarian cancer quality management program in 2001 in our gynecologic oncology center.