The effect of platinum-based combination chemotherapy on the lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: does it decrease the incidence of lymph node involvement?

Abstract

This paper aims to determine the impact of platinum-based combination chemotherapy on the lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma. From 1997 to 2000, the patients in whom we performed lymphadenectomy before (group A) or after chemotherapy (group B) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine were enrolled in this study. A total of 47 cases were included in the study. Twenty five cases had lymphadenectomy during the initial laparatomy and 22 cases during second-look procedures. Lymph node metastasis was detected in 14 (56%) patients in group A and in 10 (45·4%) cases in group B ( P > 0·05). Platinum-based combination chemotherapy does not decrease significantly the incidence of involved lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma.