Less guessing, more evidence in identifying patients least fit for cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer: A triage algorithm to individualize surgical management

Abstract

ObjectiveWe previously reported an algorithm that identifies women at high risk of postoperative morbidity & mortality (M/M) as a tool to triage between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and primary surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We sought to independently validate its performance using multicenter data. MethodsWomen who underwent surgery for stage IIIC/IV EOC between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2017 were identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and classified as “high risk” or “triage appropriate” using our algorithm. Outcomes were compared between triage appropriate and high-risk women using the chi-square test. Results1777 women met inclusion criteria; the mean age was 62.6 years and 81.9% had stage IIIC disease. Nationally, the surgical complexity scores were low (69.8% low, 25.2% intermediate and 5.0% high). “High risk” women had 2-fold higher rate of severe 30-day complication or death (6.2% vs 3.5%; p = 0.01), a 3-fold higher rate of 30-day mortality (1.4% vs 0.5%; p = 0.08), and a higher risk of death following a severe complication (11.1% vs. 0%, p = 0.11). A sensitivity analysis excluding women with unknown albumin who didn't meet other high risk criteria showed similar results: severe 30-day complications or death (6.2% vs 3.5%; p = 0.02) and 30-day mortality (1.4% vs 0.3%; p = 0.04) for “high risk” vs “triage appropriate” women. ConclusionsPrimary cytoreductive surgery to minimal residual disease remains the goal for EOC. We verify that our algorithm can identify women at risk of M/M using national multicenter data, despite a low complexity surgical setting and using 30-day mortality (vs. 90-day). Objective surgical risk assessment for ovarian cancer should be standard of care and can be incorporated into practice using the Mayo triage algorithm.