The Role of Surgery in the Management of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most deadly gynecologic cancer in the United States. Multiple modalities of therapy are utilized in the management of the disease. The role of surgery remains important in the treatment of this disease and is described herein. Methods: Medline and PubMed were utilized to search the English language medical literature up to March 2010. A broad range of studies and quality of data were analyzed, including prospective studies, case control analyses, and meta-analyses. When possible, the highest level of evidence was reviewed and presented. Results: For the medically fit patient, optimal cytoreductive surgery positively impacts survival. For some highly selected patients, there is a role for a minimally invasive approach. In the recurrent setting, factors such as interval to recurrence and the distribution of disease will determine the utility of secondary cytoreductive surgery. A subgroup of patients may benefit from palliative surgical procedures in the recurrent setting. Conclusions: Despite advances in the use of chemotherapy and biologic agents, surgery remains an important modality in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.