Objectives: Retroperitoneal lymph nodes metastases occur frequently in patients with ovarian cancer. Lymphadenectomy increases risk of perioperative complications. In clinical practice to reduce rate of complications aortocaval lymphadenectomy is omitted and solely resection of pelvic lymph nodes is performed. To establish factors affecting metastases to pelvic lymph nodes in advanced ovarian cancer.
Material and methods: A retrospective study among patients with serous advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO IIIB-IVB) was conducted at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw and Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw. All patients underwent surgical treatment including pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2014 and 2017. Data including age, body mass index (BMI), pretreatment CA125 serum level, tumor volume, grading, one-/both-sided tumor, menopausal status, ascites were analysed as possible factors influencing the pelvic lymph nodes involvement. The statistical analysis was performed with Python software.
Results: 87 consecutive patients were eligible for the study. Metastases to pelvic lymph nodes were found in 29 (33.33%) patients. Pretreatment serum CA-125 concentration (652 U/mL vs 360.9 U/mL, p < 0.05) and high grade histology corresponded with pelvic nodal involvement.
Conclusions: The knowledge of factors influencing metastases to pelvic lymph nodes may help clinicians in proper counselling and tailoring of therapy.
Keywords: clinicopathological factors; metastasis to pelvic lymph node; ovarian cancer.