Nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced ovarian cancer patients

- 343 consecutive advanced-ovarian cancer patients undergoing PET/CT before primary surgery were analyzed.
- Using surgical aggressiveness and PET/CT features, a nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction was developed.
- Nomogram performance was good across individual surgeons of heterogeneous surgical aggressiveness.

ObjectiveAccurately predicting cytoreducibility in advanced-ovarian cancer is needed to establish preoperative plans, consider neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and improve clinical trial protocols. We aimed to develop a positron-emission tomography/computed tomography-based nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced-ovarian cancer patients.MethodsBetween 2006 and 2012, 343 consecutive advanced-ovarian cancer patients underwent positron-emission tomography/computed tomography before primary cytoreduction: 240 and 103 patients were assigned to the model development or validation cohort, respectively. After reviewing the detailed surgical documentation, incomplete cytoreduction was defined as a remaining gross residual tumor. We evaluated each individual surgeon's surgical aggressiveness index (number of high-complex surgeries/total number of surgeries). Possible predictors, including surgical aggressiveness index and positron-emission tomography/computed tomography features, were analyzed using logistic regression modeling. A nomogram based on this model was developed and externally validated.ResultsComplete cytoreduction was achieved in 120 patients (35%). Surgical aggressiveness index and five positron-emission tomography/computed tomography features were independent predictors of incomplete cytoreduction. Our nomogram predicted incomplete cytoreduction by incorporating these variables and demonstrated good predictive accuracy (concordance index = 0.881; 95% CI = 0.838-0.923). The predictive accuracy of our validation cohort was also good (concordance index = 0.881; 95% CI = 0.790-0.932) and the predicted probability was close to the actual observed outcome. Our model demonstrated good performance across surgeons with varying degrees of surgical aggressiveness.ConclusionWe have developed and validated a nomogram for predicting incomplete cytoreduction in advanced-ovarian cancer patients which may help stratify patients for clinical trials, establish meticulous preoperative plans, and determine if neoadjuvant chemotherapy is warranted.