Prognostic factor on optimal debulking surgery by maximum effort for stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic factor of radical surgery in patients with stage IIIc ovarian cancer.

Study Design: Fifty-two patients were subjected to the study. The complete resection or optimal primary cytoreductive surgery (OPCS) was set as the maximum effort, and the accomplishment rate and prognosis were assessed. In addition, the poor prognosis cases among the OPCS-accomplished were evaluated with several factors based on univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results: The OPCS accomplishment rate was 84.6%. A worse prognosis was obtained in the more-than-4-weeks-delayed postoperative chemotherapy group, assessing poor-outcome cases in the OPCS group. A case that required more than three colon resections was the significant factor for the delay of postoperative chemotherapy.

Conclusions: OPCS should be performed with maximum effort to improve the prognosis of stage IIIc ovarian cancer. We should avoid any delay in starting postoperative chemotherapy. In cases that require more than three colon resections, it seems that 'perioperative management' should be reconsidered and that priority should be given to postoperative management so that chemotherapy can be started soon after the operation.