๐ฌ Advanced Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Survival Without Debulking Surgery๐️
Survival in advanced-staged ovarian cancer treated without cytoreductive surgery remains a critical and complex clinical question ๐️. While cytoreductive (debulking) surgery has long been considered a cornerstone of management, some patients are treated with chemotherapy alone due to frailty, comorbidities, or extensive disease spread. A systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis helps clarify outcomes in this challenging population ๐. The findings suggest that survival outcomes without surgery are generally lower compared to patients undergoing optimal cytoreduction, highlighting the prognostic importance of tumor burden reduction ๐ฌ. However, in carefully selected patients—especially those unfit for surgery—systemic therapies, including platinum-based chemotherapy and targeted treatments, may still offer meaningful survival benefits ๐. Patient selection, performance status, and molecular characteristics play a decisive role in outcomes. Importantly, this research empha...