Is a 'second look operation' justified in suspected recurrences after abdominal cancer surgery?

Seventy-three patients have been submitted to 74 further laparotomies for suspected recurrent malignant abdominal disease over a period of 13 months. The original tumour was situated in the large bowel in 42, oesophagus or stomach in 24, ovary in 3, small intestine in 2 and pancreas and retroperitoneum in 1 instance each. There were 10 examples of benign lesions, 16 of further primary cancer and 24 of resectable local recurrences or metastases. Seventeen patients underwent some palliative procedure, and only 7 were beyond any surgical help.