Keyhole Surgery Versus Open Surgery After Chemotherapy for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Trial details

Who runs it

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Trial code

NCT04575935

Record updated

14 September 2026

Original description

This phase III trial compares minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to laparotomy in treating patients with stage IIIC-IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer who are receiving chemotherapy before and after surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). MIS is a surgical procedure that uses small incision(s) and is intended to produce minimal blood loss and pain for the patient. Laparotomy is a surgical procedure which allows the doctors to remove some or all of the tumor and check if the disease has spread to other organs in the body. MIS may work the same or better than standard laparotomy after chemotherapy in prolonging the return of the disease and/or improving quality of life after surgery.Read full original descriptionShow less

Laparoscopic Cytoreduction After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

This phase III trial compares minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to laparotomy in treating patients with stage IIIC-IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer who are receiving chemotherapy before and after surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). MIS is a surgical procedure that uses small incision(s) and is intended to produce minimal blood loss and pain for the patient. Laparotomy is a surgical procedure which allows the doctors to remove some or all of the tumor and check if the disease has spread to other organs in the body. MIS may work the same or better than standard laparotomy after chemotherapy in prolonging the return of the disease and/or improving quality of life after surgery.

Inclusion: Age ≥ 18 years old; Stage IIIC or IV, high-grade (serous, endometrioid, clear-cell, transitional carcinomas), invasive epithelial ovarian carcinoma, primary peritoneal carcinoma, or fallopian-tube carcinoma or pathology consistent with high-grade mullerian carcinoma; Patient is considered by treating physician to be a surgical candidate after completion of 3 to 4 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy, or an investigational neoadjuvant regimen given according to protocol, with complete radiologic resolution of any disease outside the abdominal cavity. Pleural effusions are acceptable per the local PI's discretion; Normalization of CA-125 according to individual participating center reference range (Note: Among patients with a normal CA-125 at initiation of therapy, the CA-125 cannot exceed 35 U/mL at the completion of NACT prior to interval debulking surgery.) or has a CA-125 value ≤500 and is scheduled to undergo a diagnostic laparoscopy prior to debulking surgery. a. For patients undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy, surgeon considers that optimal debulking is feasible either by MIS or laparotomy; Timeframe of < 6 weeks (42 days) from the last cycle of NACT to interval debulking surgery. Overall timeframe may be extended per MD Anderson PI discretion; ECOG performance status 0-2; Signed informed consent and ability to comply with follow-up; Negative pregnancy test by blood or urine (within 14 days prior to surgery); Disease free of other active malignancies in the previous five years, except basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin.

Exclusion: Evidence of tumor not amenable to minimally invasive resection on pre-operative imaging (CT, PET-CT, or MRI) including but not limited to the following findings that may preclude minimally invasive resection per surgeon's assessment. • Failure of improvement of ascites during NACT (trace ascites is allowed) • Small bowel or gastric tumor involvement • Colon or rectal tumor involvement • Diaphragmatic tumor involvement • Splenic or hepatic surface or parenchymal tumor involvement • Mesenteric tumor involvement • Tumor infiltration of the lesser peritoneal sac; History of psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially preventing compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule; Inability to tolerate prolonged Trendelenburg position or pneumoperitoneum as deemed by participating institution's clinicians; Any other contraindication to MIS as assessed by the clinician.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04575935