ABSTRACT
Maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer has been introduced and evaluated in many large randomized trials; however, its efficacy is still unclear and includes concerns for both short-term and longer-term side effects. Thus far, some therapies that have been studied in this setting showed a delay in tumor progression but unfortunately no improvement in overall survival has been noticed. The introduction of new chemotherapeutic agents redirected research efforts. Assessing benefits of prolonged therapy and its impact in terms of toxicity is considerably important for the decision to administer such treatments. The purpose of this article was to provide an update on the randomized trials and review the role of maintenance therapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Maintenance Chemotherapy , Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Disease Progression , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Humans , Immunotherapy , Maintenance Chemotherapy/adverse effects , Maintenance Chemotherapy/mortality , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Neoplasm Metastasis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Ovarian Neoplasms/mortality , Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology , Patient Selection , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Our aim was to investigate the feasibility and outcomes of deep obturator lymph node (DOLN) dissection in gynaecological cancer patients. A prospective study included 62 patients with a diagnosis of ovarian, endometrial or cervical cancer who underwent surgery. In the study group, 36 patients underwent obturator lymph node dissection above and under the obturator nerve, while 26 control group patients underwent routine obturator lymph node dissection above the obturator nerve. Groups were compared with respect to dissected lymph node count, intraoperative characteristics and early postoperative complications. Total lymph node count in the DOLN dissected group was greater than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups, regarding postoperative complications and intraoperative characteristics. The total number of lymph nodes dissected by using DOLN dissection increased without an increase in intra- and postoperative complications in gynaecological cancer patients.
