Background: The impact of obesity on the surgical outcomes in patients after primary ovarian cancer surgery is unclear. We aimed at conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate the associations between obesity and major surgical outcomes in ovarian cancer patients.
Method: Embase, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies. Study-specific relative risks (RR) were pooled using fixed effect model when little evidence of heterogeneity was detected, otherwise random effect model was employed.
Results: Twelve eligible studies were identified. The pooled incidence rates of all complications were 38% (95% CI: 29%, 47%) for obese patients and 27% (95% CI: 18%, 36%) for non-obese patients. Compared with the non-obese patients, there was a significantly increased risk of all complications in obese patients after ovarian cancer surgery, with a pooled RR of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.43). For advanced (stages III-IV) ovarian cancer, the pooled RR of all complications was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.24). Obese patients after ovarian cancer surgery were at higher risks of wound complication (pooled RR: 7.06, 95% CI: 3.23, 15.40) and infection (pooled RR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.47, 2.55) compared with non-obese patients. Such increased risk was not observed for other major complications, namely, venous thromboembolism, ileus and organ failure. Hospital stay days between obese patients and non-obese patients were similar (Standardized Mean Difference: -0.28, 95% CI: -0.75, 0.19). The rates of optimal debulking (pooled RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.90, 1.03), readmission/return to operation room (pooled RR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.56, 2.57) and 30-day mortality (pooled RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.54, 1.66) were also comparable between obese patients and non-obese patients.
Conclusion: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications, especially wound complications and infection after primary ovarian cancer surgery. Obesity may not affect their optimal debulking rates and 30-day mortality in patients undergoing ovarian cancer surgery. Besides, to improve surgical outcomes, an advanced minimally invasive robotic approach seems to be feasible for the treatment of obese patients with ovarian cancer.
Keywords: body mass index; complication; obesity; ovarian cancer; surgery.
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