MIRRORS: a prospective cohort study assessing the feasibility of robotic interval debulking surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer

Abstract

ObjectiveTo establish the feasibility and safety of robotic interval debulking surgery following the MIRRORS protocol (robot-assisted laparoscopic assessment prior to robotic or open surgery) in women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer. MIRRORS is the first of three planned trials: MIRRORS, MIRRORS-RCT (pilot), and MIRRORS-RCT.MethodsThe participants were patients with stage IIIc-IVb epithelial ovarian cancer undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, suitable for interval debulking surgery with a pelvic mass ≤8 cm. The intervention was robot-assisted laparoscopic assessment prior to robotic or open interval debulking surgery (MIRRORS protocol). The primary outcome was feasibility of recruitment, and the secondary outcomes were quality of life (EORTC QLQC30/OV28, HADS questionnaires), pain, surgical complications, complete cytoreduction rate (%), conversion to open surgery (%), and overall and progression-free survival at 1 year.ResultsOverall, 95.8% (23/24) of patients who were eligible were recruited. Median age was 68 years (range 53–83). All patients had high grade serous histology and were BRCA negative. In total, 56.5% were stage IV, 43.5% were stage III, 87.0% had a partial response, while 13.0% had stable disease by RECIST 1.1. Median peritoneal cancer index was 24 (range 6–38). Following MIRRORS protocol, 87.0% (20/23) underwent robotic interval debulking surgery, and 13.0% (3/23) had open surgery. All patients achieved R<1 (robotic R0=47.4%, open R0=0%). No patients had conversion to open. Median estimated blood loss was 50 mL for robotic (range 20–500 mL), 2026 mL for open (range 2000–2800 mL) (p=0.001). Median intensive care length of stay was 0 days for robotic (range 0–8) and 3 days (range 3–13) for MIRRORS Open (p=0.012). The median length of stay was 1.5 days for robotic (range 1–17), 6 days for open (range 5–41) (p=0.012). The time to chemotherapy was as follows 18.5 days for robotic (range 13–28), 25 days for open (range 22–28) (p=0.139).ConclusionsRobotic interval debulking surgery appears safe and feasible for experienced robotic surgeons in patients with a pelvic mass ≤8 cm. A randomized controlled trial (MIRRORS-RCT) will determine whether MIRRORS protocol has non-inferior survival (overall and progression-free) compared with open interval debulking surgery.