Preoperative Ascites Drainage Versus Standard Care for Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Overview

Patients with significant ascites and advanced ovarian cancer (AOC), undergoing complex, cytoreductive surgery are at risk of malnutrition, poor quality of life and the risk of hypo- or hypervolemia in a perioperative period. All these factors may cause hemodynamic consequences during anesthesia and surgery, and elevate the risk of morbidity and mortality. The objective of the study is to evaluate, whether slow ascites evacuation for a few days before the surgery for AOC, could 1) influence the hemodynamic consequences of ascites on systemic circulation in patients undergoing surgery, 2) improve patient's quality of life and 3) ability to feed correctly before treatment starts, and thus lower the risk of perioperative morbidity. Eligible patients are those with significant ascites, diagnosed or suspected for AOC, who are scheduled for primary surgery (both upfront cytoreduction or laparoscopic evaluation before neoadjuvant chemotherapy), that cannot be performed within next 7 or more days, for any reason. Patients will be asked to fill in quality of life questionnaire (QLQ). Clinical data, a Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) will be recorded. Patients will be randomized to either intervention arm A – insertion of vascular catheter into abdominal cavity and slow, systematic, daily ascites evacuation, or to observation arm B – standard of care with just observation (acute large volume (>5000ml) paracentesis allowed if needed). Patients in both groups will be encouraged to use oral nutritional support. Randomization will be open, 1:1, for every eligible, consecutive patient. After 7 days patients will be interviewed, asked to fill in QLQ, patient's experience on the treatment survey, a SGA will be recorded. During the first hour of the surgery hemodynamic data from anethetic charts will be recorded along with other clinical data concerning patient's characteristics, surgery details and 30-day postoperative follow-up. A template is provided. The hypothesis of the study is that slow, systematic ascites evacuation few days before surgery for advanced ovarian cancer can facilitate hemodynamic control of systemic circulation of patients undergoing surgery, and improve patients' quality of life, feeding ability before treatment starts. Secondary we would expect lower risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Full Title of Study: “Preoperative Slow Ascites Drainage Versus Standard Care for Patients With Proven or Suspected Advanced Ovarian Cancer – a Hemodynamic Impact on Systemic Circulation, Patient’s Nutritional Status and Quality of Life: a Randomized Trial.”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
    • Masking: None (Open Label)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: January 2020

Interventions

  • Device: Systematic ascites evacuation
    • Systematic ascites evacuation via indwelling catheter inserted into abdominal cavity, sutured to the skin. Drainage performed by the patient, on demand with day limit of 2000ml, in ambulatory settings.
  • Procedure: Acute paracentesis.
    • Evacuation of a large (>5000ml) volume of ascites via single abdominocentesis. Allowed in observational arm only, in case of acute symptoms concerned with ascites.
  • Behavioral: Interview.
    • Interview according to provided chart in order to collect data concerning symptoms, co-morbidities.
  • Behavioral: Quality of life.
    • Patients will be asked to fill in a quality of life questionnaire (EORTC-C15-PAL) before randomization and 7 days later.
  • Behavioral: Nutritional status.
    • Patients will be asked to fill in (together with a physician) a questionnaire to assess risk of malnutrition (SGA) before randomization and 7 days later.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: Ascites drainage before surgery.
    • A group of patients with (or suspected for) advanced ovarian cancer and significant ascites. An indwelling catheter insertion into abdominal cavity and slow, systematic ascites evacuation for 7 or more days before surgery (if it cannot be scheduled immediately) will be performed. Patients will undergo an interview, will be asked to fill in questionnaires concerning a quality of life and nutritional status. If available noninvasive bioimpedance analysis will be performed and 2ml of blood will be taken for serum prealbumin concentration evaluation. If possible 20ml of ascitic fluid will be taken for cytology examination.
  • Other: Observation.
    • A group of patients with (or suspected for) advanced ovarian cancer and significant ascites. A standard of care: observation or acute paracentesis (>5000ml) will be performed while waiting for the surgery (if it cannot be scheduled immediately). Patients will undergo an interview, will be asked to fill in questionnaires concerning a quality of life and nutritional status. If available noninvasive bioimpedance analysis will be performed and 2ml of blood will be taken for serum prealbumin concentration evaluation. If possible 20ml of ascitic fluid will be taken for cytology examination.

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Changes in median arterial pressure (MAP) during anesthesia.
    • Time Frame: 1 hour
    • Changes (minimal and maximal) in median arterial pressure during 1st hour of anesthesia during cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer – comparison of two groups: with and without preoperative ascites drainage. MAP calculation – MAP = [(2 x diastolic)+systolic] / 3.
  • Volume of intravenous fluids transfused.
    • Time Frame: 1 hour
    • Volume of intravenous fluids transfused during the 1st hour of cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer – comparison of two groups: with and without preoperative ascites drainage.
  • Number of participants who required vasoconstrictors.
    • Time Frame: 1 hour
    • Need for using vasoconstrictors during 1st hour of cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer – comparison of two groups: with and without preoperative ascites drainage.
  • Changes in Heart Rate (HR).
    • Time Frame: 1 hour
    • Changes in HR (minimal and maximal) during 1st hour of anesthesia during cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer – comparison of two groups: with and without preoperative ascites drainage.

Secondary Measures

  • Changes in feeding ability.
    • Time Frame: 7 days
    • Evaluation of changes in feeding ability before the treatment starts, according to Subjective Global Assesment survey – comparison of two groups: with and without preoperative ascites drainage.
  • Changes in patients’ quality of life.
    • Time Frame: 7 days
    • To note any changes in quality of life evaluated with standardized quality of life questionnaire.

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • patients with significant ascites and suspected ovarian cancer scheduled for upfront cytoreductive surgery, or diagnostic laparoscopy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the surgery is planned to be performed in at least 7 days, – signed informed consent of the patient. Exclusion Criteria:

  • ascites not of malignant origin, – low volume ascites, – other then primary ovarian malignancy suspected, – suspected or clinically apparent infection especially at the site of planned drainage placement, – no patient's consent.

Gender Eligibility: Female

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Maximum Age: N/A

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Gdynia Oncology Center
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Maciej Stukan, MD, PhD, Dr – Gdynia Oncology Center
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Maciej Stukan, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, Gdynia Oncology Center

References

Hunsicker O, Fotopoulou C, Pietzner K, Koch M, Krannich A, Sehouli J, Spies C, Feldheiser A. Hemodynamic Consequences of Malignant Ascites in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Surgery*: A Prospective Substudy of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Dec;94(49):e2108. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002108.

Feldheiser A, Braicu EI, Bonomo T, Walther A, Kaufner L, Pietzner K, Spies C, Sehouli J, Fotopoulou C. Impact of ascites on the perioperative course of patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing extensive cytoreduction: results of a study on 119 patients. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2014 Mar;24(3):478-87. doi: 10.1097/IGC.0000000000000069.

Citations Reporting on Results

Stukan M, Lesniewski-Kmak K, Wroblewska M, Dudziak M. Management of symptomatic ascites and post-operative lymphocysts with an easy-to-use, patient-controlled, vascular catheter. Gynecol Oncol. 2015 Mar;136(3):466-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2014.11.073. Epub 2014 Nov 28.

Nelson G, Altman AD, Nick A, Meyer LA, Ramirez PT, Achtari C, Antrobus J, Huang J, Scott M, Wijk L, Acheson N, Ljungqvist O, Dowdy SC. Guidelines for pre- and intra-operative care in gynecologic/oncology surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS(R)) Society recommendations–Part I. Gynecol Oncol. 2016 Feb;140(2):313-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2015.11.015. Epub 2015 Nov 18. No abstract available.

Clinical trials entries are delivered from the US National Institutes of Health and are not reviewed separately by this site. Please see the identifier information above for retrieving further details from the government database.

At TrialBulletin.com, we keep tabs on over 200,000 clinical trials in the US and abroad, using medical data supplied directly by the US National Institutes of Health. Please see the About and Contact page for details.