LYMPHADENECTOMY IN STAGE-III SEROUS CYSTADENOCARCINOMA OF THE OVARY

Objective: To elucidate the effects of lymphadenectomy on the prognosi s for ovarian cancer. Method: A retrospective study of 69 patients wit h stage-III serous cystadenocarcinoma was performed, Results: Among th e 69 patients, 36 were not treated by lymphadenectomy. Both pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomies were performed on 13 patients at the in itial operation and on 11 at the second operation. The group (n = 13) treated by both pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomies at the initia l operation had a disease-free survival rate that was significantly hi gher than the non-lymphadenectomy group (n = 36) or the group (n = 5) treated by pelvic or para-aortic lymphadenectomy alone (P < 0.04), The se 54 patients were subjected to multivariate analysis for lymphadenec tomy at the initial operation, and a significant correlation was found between disease-free survival rate and both pelvic and para-aortic ly mphadenectomies (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that sys tematic lymphadenectomy can reduce the rate of recurrence.