The role of bowel surgery in the primary treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Between January 1, 1979 and May 1, 1988, 24 of 192 patients treated for epithelial ovarian cancer underwent bowel surgery during primary therapy. It was found that survival was independent of this variable and depended largely upon the amount of residual disease following laparotomy. There was a major complication rate of 8% after primary bowel surgery, and this did not protect against the subsequent development of bowel obstruction. In conclusion, it is felt that bowel resection and anastomosis should only be undertaken if the patient is to be left with minimal or no macroscopic disease at completion of surgery.