Use of complex surgical procedures, patterns of tumor spread, and CA-125 predicts a risk of incomplete cytoreduction: a Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group study (KGOG-3022)

Preoperative Cancer Antigen 125 Level as Predictor for Complete Cytoreduction in Ovarian Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study and Systematic Review

Background: The tumor marker ‘cancer antigen 125’ (CA-125) plays a role in the management of women with advanced stage ovarian cancer. This study aims to describe the predictive value of pre-treatment CA-125 level and the reduction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on surgical outcome. Methods: A systematic review and a prospective clinical study were performed. Multiple databases were searched from database inception to April 2022. The clinical study is part of a randomized controlled trial named “PlaComOv-study”. A regression analysis was performed to demonstrate correlations between preoperative CA-125 levels, CA-125 reduction after NACT, and surgical outcome. Results: Fourteen relevant articles were analyzed of which eleven reported that lower preoperative CA-125 levels were associated with a higher probability of complete cytoreduction. In the clinical study, 326 patients with FIGO stage IIIB-IV ovarian cancer who underwent CRS were enrolled from 2018 to 2020. Patients who underwent interval CRS with preoperative CA-125 levels ≤35 kU/L had higher odds of achieving complete CRS than patients with CA-125 level >35 kU/L (85% vs. 67%, OR 2.79, 95%CI 1.44−5.41, p = 0.002). In multivariable analysis with presence of ascites and peritoneal carcinomatosis, normalized preoperative CA-125 did not appear as a significant predictor for complete CRS. Conclusions: In literature, preoperative CA-125 levels ≤35 kU/L were associated with a significant higher percentage of complete CRS in univariable analysis. According to our cohort study, preoperative CA-125 level ≤35 kU/L cannot independently predict surgical outcome either for primary or interval CRS.

CT-Based Fagotti Scoring System for Non-Invasive Prediction of Cytoreduction Surgery Outcome in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Objective

To construct a CT-based Fagotti scoring system by analyzing the correlations between laparoscopic findings and CT features in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with stage III/IV ovarian cancer who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and debulking surgery between January 2010 and June 2018. Two radiologists independently reviewed preoperative CT scans and assessed ten CT features known as predictors of suboptimal cytoreduction. Correlation analysis between ten CT features and seven laparoscopic parameters based on the Fagotti scoring system was performed using Spearman's correlation. Variable selection and model construction were performed by logistic regression with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method using a predictive index value (PIV) ≥ 8 as an indicator of suboptimal cytoreduction. The final CT-based scoring system was internally validated using 5-fold cross-validation.

Results

A total of 157 patients (median age, 56 years; range, 27–79 years) were evaluated. Among 120 (76.4%) patients with a PIV ≥ 8, 105 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, and the optimal cytoreduction rate was 90.5% (95 of 105). Among 37 (23.6%) patients with PIV < 8, 29 patients underwent primary debulking surgery, and the optimal cytoreduction rate was 93.1% (27 of 29). CT features showing significant correlations with PIV ≥ 8 were mesenteric involvement, gastro-transverse mesocolon-splenic space involvement, diaphragmatic involvement, and para-aortic lymphadenopathy. The area under the receiver operating curve of the final model for prediction of PIV ≥ 8 was 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.62–0.82).

Conclusion

Central tumor burden and upper abdominal spread features on preoperative CT were identified as distinct predictive factors for high PIV on diagnostic laparoscopy. The CT-based PIV prediction model might be useful for patient stratification before cytoreduction surgery for advanced ovarian cancer.

Preoperative PET/CT score can predict complete resection in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: a prospective study

Background

To assess the ability of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans to predict postoperative residual disease in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC).

Methods

Thirty-one women with suspected AEOC were enrolled in our prospective study before surgery from July 2016 to December 2017. Complete resection was determined as no residual disease (R0) after surgery. A PET/CT scan was obtained within 2 weeks before surgery in our hospital. The PET score was the sum of each score of the radiological criteria from Suidan's model. The correlations between the PET score and tumor burden and surgical complexity were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis. T-test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare differences in the variables between the complete and incomplete resection groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of the PET score for predicting complete postoperative resection.

Results

The median [range] of PET score was 2 [0-8], and the PET score in 20 (65%) patients was less than 3. Complete resection was achieved in 11 (35.5%) patients after surgery, including 10 (90.91%) with low PET scores and only 1 (9.09%) with a high score. The PET score had a significant positive correlation with tumor burden [Eisenkop: r=0.603, P<0.001; peritoneal cancer index (PCI): r=0.522, P=0.003] but not with surgery complexity (Aletti: r=0.291, P=0.113). Patients with lower PET scores (P=0.046) and tumor burdens (Eisenkop: P=0.013; PCI: P=0.012) had higher rates of complete resection. The PET score and tumor burden were effective for predicting complete resection. The AUC_PET, AUC_Eisenkop, and AUC_PCI were 0.797 (95% CI: 0.633-0.961, P=0.01), 0.847 (95% CI: 0.707-0.988, P=0.003), and 0.811 (95% CI: 0.653-0.969, P=0.007), respectively. However, surgery complexity was not useful for assessing complete resection.

Conclusions

The preoperative PET score can noninvasively reflect tumor burden and helps predict complete resection after surgery in AEOC patients.

Prediction of incomplete primary debulking surgery in patients with advanced ovarian cancer: An external validation study of three models using computed tomography

OBJECTIVE

To test the ability of three prospectively developed computed tomography (CT) models to predict incomplete primary debulking surgery in patients with advanced (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages III-IV) ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Three prediction models to predict incomplete surgery (any tumor residual >1cm in diameter) previously published by Ferrandina (models A and B) and by Gerestein were applied to a validation cohort consisting of 151 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. All patients were treated with primary debulking surgery in the Eastern part of the Netherlands between 2000 and 2009 and data were retrospectively collected. Three individual readers evaluated the radiographic parameters and gave a subjective assessment. Using the predicted probabilities from the models, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated which represents the discriminative ability of the model.

RESULTS

The AUC of the Ferrandina models was 0.56, 0.59 and 0.59 in model A, and 0.55, 0.60 and 0.59 in model B for readers 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The AUC of Gerestein's model was 0.69, 0.61 and 0.69 for readers 1, 2 and 3, respectively. AUC values of 0.69 and 0.63 for reader 1 and 3 were found for subjective assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

Models to predict incomplete surgery in advanced ovarian cancer have limited predictive ability and their reproducibility is questionable. Subjective assessment seems as successful as applying predictive models. Present prediction models are not reliable enough to be used in clinical decision-making and should be interpreted with caution.

Role of aggressive surgical cytoreduction in advanced ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most frequent cancer in women and is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy worldwide. The majority of ovarian cancer patients are newly diagnosed presenting with advanced-stage disease. Primary cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant taxane- and platinum-based combination chemotherapy are the standard treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. A number of studies have consistently shown that successful cytoreductive surgery and the resultant minimal residual disease are significantly associated with survival in patients with this disease. Much has been written and even more debated regarding the competing perspectives of biology of ovarian cancer versus the value of aggressive surgical resection. This review will focus on the current evidences and outcomes supporting the positive impact of aggressive surgical effort on survival in the primary management of ovarian cancer.

Role of aggressive surgical cytoreduction in advanced ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most frequent cancer in women and is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy worldwide. The majority of ovarian cancer patients are newly diagnosed presenting with advanced-stage disease. Primary cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant taxane- and platinum-based combination chemotherapy are the standard treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. A number of studies have consistently shown that successful cytoreductive surgery and the resultant minimal residual disease are significantly associated with survival in patients with this disease. Much has been written and even more debated regarding the competing perspectives of biology of ovarian cancer versus the value of aggressive surgical resection. This review will focus on the current evidences and outcomes supporting the positive impact of aggressive surgical effort on survival in the primary management of ovarian cancer.

Nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced ovarian cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

Accurately predicting cytoreducibility in advanced-ovarian cancer is needed to establish preoperative plans, consider neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and improve clinical trial protocols. We aimed to develop a positron-emission tomography/computed tomography-based nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced-ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS

Between 2006 and 2012, 343 consecutive advanced-ovarian cancer patients underwent positron-emission tomography/computed tomography before primary cytoreduction: 240 and 103 patients were assigned to the model development or validation cohort, respectively. After reviewing the detailed surgical documentation, incomplete cytoreduction was defined as a remaining gross residual tumor. We evaluated each individual surgeon's surgical aggressiveness index (number of high-complex surgeries/total number of surgeries). Possible predictors, including surgical aggressiveness index and positron-emission tomography/computed tomography features, were analyzed using logistic regression modeling. A nomogram based on this model was developed and externally validated.

RESULTS

Complete cytoreduction was achieved in 120 patients (35%). Surgical aggressiveness index and five positron-emission tomography/computed tomography features were independent predictors of incomplete cytoreduction. Our nomogram predicted incomplete cytoreduction by incorporating these variables and demonstrated good predictive accuracy (concordance index = 0.881; 95% CI = 0.838-0.923). The predictive accuracy of our validation cohort was also good (concordance index = 0.881; 95% CI = 0.790-0.932) and the predicted probability was close to the actual observed outcome. Our model demonstrated good performance across surgeons with varying degrees of surgical aggressiveness.

CONCLUSION

We have developed and validated a nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced-ovarian cancer patients which may help stratify patients for clinical trials, establish meticulous preoperative plans, and determine if neoadjuvant chemotherapy is warranted.