Role of obesity in the surgical management of advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether obese women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer undergoing primary cytoreduction surgery were at increased risk of suboptimal cytoreduction and complications during the operative and postoperative period as compared to nonobese women.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective, case-control study of all cases of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer managed surgically at Johns Hopkins Hospital between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 1999.

RESULTS

Obese patients were as likely as nonobese patients to undergo optimal cytoreduction at surgery. Obese patients were more likely than nonobese patients to be high-risk anesthesia candidates and more likely than nonobese patients to have tumors >20 cm at surgery. Obese patients were not at greater risk of surgical or postoperative complications than were nonobese patients.

CONCLUSION

Obesity is not a risk factor for suboptimal surgical management of advanced-stage ovarian cancer.