Non-Surgical Management of Malignant Bowel Obstruction in Advanced Ovarian Cancer patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Praveena Idaikkadar, Athina Georgiou, Simon Skene and 1 others
PMID 34490792WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with advanced ovarian cancer and bowel obstruction managed without surgery survived a median of 44 days.
The type of medical treatment used did not significantly change survival. Care should be tailored to the patient's needs rather than chosen for life extension.
Key findings
01Median overall survival from diagnosis of bowel obstruction was 44 days.
02The choice of non-surgical management strategy had very little effect on overall survival outcomes.
03Non-surgical management is an effective strategy for symptom control in this population.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were retrospective or case series, with only one randomized controlled trial. Quality of evidence was rated as medium to low. Many studies used outdated treatment standards or selected patient populations. Inconsistent reporting of quality of life outcomes prevented comprehensive analysis of symptom burden. Small sample sizes in individual studies limited precision of estimates.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. One author received a studentship grant from GRACE charity.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the 44-day median survival as a strict limit for individual patients. This is an average across a heterogeneous group with varying disease stages, performance statuses, and treatment histories. Some patients may survive significantly longer, while others may have shorter survival times. The finding should inform prognostic discussions but not be used to make rigid decisions about care intensity.