Ovarian Cancer Surgery: Heed This LION’s Roar

The LION trial, which included women with advanced ovarian cancer who had no visibly involved nodes and had undergone complete visible cytoreduction, found that systematic lymphadenectomy after maximal cytoreduction does not improve survival rates and may increase the risk of complications. The study reported a median progression-free survival of 26 months and a median overall survival of 67 months, with no significant difference between patients who underwent lymphadenectomy and those who did not. The trial's results suggest that systematic lymphadenectomy should be avoided to enhance patient recovery and underscore the value of rigorous trial designs in reevaluating established medical practices.