European Journal of Cancer : Primary versus secondary cytoreduction for epithelial ovarian cancer: A paired analysis of tumour pattern and surgical outcome

Conclusions Secondary cytoreduction due to EOC appears to be associated with significantly lower optimal tumour debulking rates compared to primary setting, since the disease tends to recur in patterns less accessible to complete resection such as gastrointestinal serosa, mesentery and upper abdomen. By maximal surgical effort, tumour residuals significantly correlate between primary and secondary cytoreduction. No other predictors of surgical outcome or tumour-pattern could be identified.