Unresectability index associated with optimal cy-toreduction in patients with ovarian cancer: A single-center observational study.

Abstract

Introduction: The unresectability index assesses the presence of four variables (palpable abdominal mass, tumor in the fornix of Douglas, presence of ascitic fluid, preoperative Ca 125 value greater than 1000 U/ml); before performing primary cytoreductive surgery in patients with ovarian cancer. The objective of this study was to carry out a diagnostic test of the unresectability index with the decision to perform optimal cytoreduction in patients with ovarian cancer who underwent surgery in a public hospital of national reference in Ecuador in 3 years of study.

Methodology: In the present study of diagnostic tests, women operated on for ovarian cancer were studied at the Eugenio Espejo Specialties Hospital (Ecuador) from September 2016 to September 2018. Patients with optimal and suboptimal cytoreduction were included. A descriptive analysis with frequencies, percentages, and averages is presented. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of the unresectable index compared with cytoreduction were evaluated.

Results: 148 cases were analyzed. The specificity of the index was 81%, with a positive predictive value (PV) of 77% and a negative PV of 68%. The sensitivity of ascites is 85%, and the palpable abdominal mass of 79%. In patients who presented CA-125 antigen values less than 1000 U/ml, the risk of obtaining optimal cytoreduction was OR: 0.15 (95% CI 0.069 - 0.307; P: 0.0001); The patients who presented unresectability index values between 1 and 2 points versus 3 and 4 were OR: 7.04 (95% CI 3.33 -14.87, P: 0.0001).

Conclusions: The unresectability index presented a statistically significant capacity to predict optimal cytoreduction in patients with ovarian cancer operated on at the Eugenio Espejo Specialties Hospital.