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Study Objective Two validated laparoscopic approaches for para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) exist: the transperitoneal and the extraperitoneal. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of both approaches. Design A retrospective review of all patients who underwent laparoscopic PAL for a gynecologic malignancy between January 2008 and October 2013. Setting University Hospital. Patients Two patients groups were compared: transperitoneal (n = 51) and extraperitoneal (n = 21). Interventions Paraaortic lymphadenectomy. Measurements and Main Results The χ 2 test, Fisher's exact test, or Student's t -test were used for univariate analysis and a stepwise logistic regression for multivariate analysis. The threshold of statistical significance was set at 0.05. All patient characteristics were similar between the 2 groups (p > .05 for all variables). There was only 1 (1.3%) conversion to laparotomy encountered in the transperitoneal PAL group and 3 conversions from extraperitoneal to transperitoneal PAL (14.2%). In 1 case of extraperitoneal PAL, the procedure was abandoned because of inadequate equipment (body mass index 48 kg/m 2 ). The mean duration of surgery was longer in the transperitoneal group: 200 min (35–360) versus 125.6 min (45–180) in the extraperitoneal group (p = .001). The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was higher in the transperitoneal group: 17 (4–37) versus 13 (3–25) in the extraperitoneal group (p = .029). There was no difference in postoperative course and complications between both groups in multivariate analysis. Conclusions In nonobese patients, the extraperitoneal PAL is associated with shorter surgical duration, whereas the transperitoneal approach was associated with a higher number of harvested lymph nodes. As a result of improved ergonomy, the transperitoneal approach enables laparoscopic management of operative complications.

Objective: To evaluate the overall survival (OS) of patients with initially inoperable advanced ovarian cancer, tubal carcinoma, or primary peritoneal carcinoma of stages III or IV undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by cytoreductive surgery, according to the number of cycles performed. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in three main oncology centres in the east of France, reviewing the charts of all patients who underwent NAC between January 1, 1998 and October 31, 2012. We performed an OS analysis using multivariate Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders. We also analysed progression-free survival (PFS) as well as chemotherapy- and surgery-related morbidity. Results: Of the 204 patients included, 75 (36.8%) underwent ≤4 NAC cycles and 129 (63.2%) ≥5 NAC cycles. Characteristic data were similar in the two groups. Five-year OS was 35.0 and 25.8%, respectively. This difference was non-significant [HR = 1.06 (0.70-1.59), p = 0.79]. We also found no differences in PFS or morbidity between the two groups. Conclusions: The number of NAC cycles does not seem to play a role in the OS of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Further evidence and prospective data are needed to assess the value of a high/low number of NAC cycles among these patients.