Relationship between paraaortic lymph node involvement and intraperitoneal spread in patients with ovarian cancer--a multivariate analysis.

In 125 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (FIGO stages I-IV), 32 (26%) had paraaortic lymph node (PAN) metastases. The estimated 5-year survival rate of PAN-negative patients was 71%, while that of PAN-positive patients was 17% (P < 0.0001). Positive rates of PAN metastasis at each stage level, based only on intraperitoneal spread of the disease, were 2% for stage I, 9% for stage II, 43% for stage III, and 87% for stage IV. According to univariate analysis, histological grade, and all disease site parameters examined, such as subdiaphragmatic surface, liver and spleen capsule, intestines and mesentery, omentum, pelvic peritoneum, sigmoid colon and rectum, uterus and tubes, and peritoneal cytology, showed a statistically significant correlation to the presence of PAN metastasis. Multivariate analysis using the logistic regression model revealed that the omental involvement, uterine and tubal involvement, and histological grade were independently correlated with PAN metastasis. The relative risk of PAN metastasis in the patients with these three factors is 18.5 times higher than that in patients without these factors. The present data suggested that, for the disease with omental and/or uterine and tubal involvement, surgical evaluation of PAN is mandatory in order to perform correct FIGO staging.