ABSTRACT
Ovarian cancer is commonly characterized as an intraperitoneal process; however, the retroperitoneal lymph nodes are a common site of metastatic involvement in both primary and recurrent disease. Consequently, evaluation of the retroperitoneum is an important part of the comprehensive staging of women with epithelial ovarian cancer. In 1986 the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) introduced a new staging system for ovarian cancer. In the revised system patients with metastatic disease in the retroperitoneal lymph nodes are classified as stage IIIC.1 While this change highlights the diagnostic importance of nodal evaluation, the therapeutic role of lymphadenectomy is still evolving. In this chapter the pattern of nodal involvement and technique for dissection of the retroperitoneum are presented.
