Publications

Abstract : Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in females worldwide. Optimal debulking is the standard treatment but possible only in 30-85% of advanced stages. Knowing exactly the disease extent preoperatively may predict suboptimal debulking. We analyzed diagnostic accuracy of preoperative CT scan in disease mapping and prediction of suboptimal debulking in a prospective observational study from March 2013 to May 2015 in a tertiary hospital. Adults below the age of 75 years with ECOG PS-0, 1, 2, clinically/radiologically newly diagnosed stage IIIc epithelial ovarian (EOC), and primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC) were included. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy recipients were excluded. Preoperative multidetector CT (MDCT) scan showing deposits at 19 predetermined abdominopelvic sites were compared with the same sites seen at laparotomy and corresponding accuracies of CT scan calculated. Primary debulking surgery was done to achieve debulking to nil or less than 1-cm residual disease. Stepwise logistic regression models were used to determine the frequent suboptimal debulking sites and the predictive performance of the clinical and CT scan findings. A total of 36 patients were enrolled. The optimal debulking rate was 50%. The CT scan could detect the disease-bearing sites with overall sensitivity of 68.29%, specificity of 89%, accuracy of 78.07%, and positive and negative predictive values of 99 and 50.1%, respectively. Upon multivariate analysis, bowel mesentery ( 0.011) and omental extension ( 0.025) were associated with suboptimal debulking. CT scan accuracy at these sites (predictive performance) was 86.1%. We identified small bowel mesentery and omental extension (to spleen/stomach/colon) as sites associated with suboptimal debulking. MDCT accurately depicts peritoneal metastases, although sensitivity is reduced in certain areas of significance for optimal debulking. Further validation with more number of patients is warranted