Role and survival benefits of secondary surgery in ovarian carcinoma patients with isolated lymph node recurrence (ILNR): a comparative study

ABSTRACT
Objective. Aim of this current study was to assess benefits, role, safety and outcomes of secondary surgery (SS) followed by chemotherapy in comparison with using chemotherapy alone in EOC patient presented with isolated lymph node recurrence (ILNR).
Patients and Methods. This study included 25 EOC patients who presented with ILNR underwent secondary surgery followed by chemotherapy and 35 EOC patients who presented with ILNR and treated with chemotherapy alone. We collected clinical, surgical, pathological and follow-up data and compared between both groups of patients regarding outcome, recurrence and survival rates.
Results. Favorable RFS and OS rates were found to be associated with the type of treatment (SS followed by chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone p = 0.036 and p = 0.049 respectively). Patients who underwent SS followed by chemotherapy had a 75% reduction in recurrence related death risk and an 80% reduction in general death risk after primary diagnosis in comparison with those who received only chemotherapy without SCS.
Conclusions. We concluded that SS in addition to chemotherapy in selected ovarian cancer patients presented with ILNR was associated with a more favorable outcome than using chemotherapy alone.