Steady progress in outcomes has been observed after standard treatment by surgery and chemotherapy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer (AOC), but little is known about outcomes after alternative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) proposed to primary inoperable patients. We assessed whether NAC offers comparable survival to standard treatment, whether survival rates have progressed over time, and what the optimal extent of surgery at late interval debulking surgery (IDS) should be.

This was a retrospective data analysis of prospectively recorded patients with poor prognosis AOC treated by platinum/taxane NAC and late IDS (after six cycles). Independent prognostic factors for surgical morbidity and overall survival (OS) are determined and survival outcomes are compared to survival rates for a similar group of patients treated with platinum protocols.

A total of 118 patients with stages IIIC-IV AOC (median age: 64 years, stage IV: 31%) received IDS (46% standard surgery and 54% radical, with 68% obtaining complete resection). Major morbidity was 18%. OS was 42 months across all patients (95% confidence interval 35.3-49.1) and 80 months in stage IIIC. This is higher by 15 months than after platinum-based treatment. Higher morbidity was associated with bowel resection. Longer OS was associated with ASA class I, stage IIIC, no bowel surgery, and no residual disease.

The neoadjuvant approach with late IDS offers survival similar to that reported by standard treatment, with progress in outcomes compared with rates after platinum treatment. The goal of IDS surgery is complete resection, while sparing surrounding organs.