Is laparotomy for staging early ovarian cancer an absolute necessity?
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that palpation of the omentum, mesentery, and intestine can be omitted from the laparoscopic staging of stage I carcinoma of the ovary. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 223 women with stages III and IV ovarian cancer treated by laparotomy. SETTING: Gynecological Oncology Clinic, M. Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. INTERVENTIONS: Observation of macroscopic spread of tumor to areas accessible to laparoscopic inspection versus spread to areas inaccessible to laparoscopic evaluation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Macroscopically detectable disease in the areas easily accessible to laparoscopic inspection was present in all cases of metastases to the mesentery, omentum, or intestine. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of FIGO stage I ovarian cancer can be made with confidence if laparoscopic inspection of certain areas reveals no evidence of metastases.