2026 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 196-202
Synopsis: We perform minimally invasive needle biopsy on cases of advanced ovarian cancer. This study compared its diagnostic usefulness and safety with those of staging laparoscopy and examined its impact on molecular testing and prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed 21 cases of advanced ovarian cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery between January 2021 and December 2023. Tissue samples were obtained via needle biopsy (10 cases) or staging laparoscopy (11 cases). We assessed histopathological diagnosis, tumor cellularity, homologous recombination deficiency testing results, complications, time to treatment initiation, and prognosis. Histopathological diagnosis was possible in all cases. Homologous recombination deficiency testing was performed on 70% of the needle biopsy group and 91% of the staging laparoscopy group; when tumor cellularity was ≥30%, the testing rate in the needle biopsy group was 86%. No severe complications were observed in the needle biopsy group, and there were no significant differences in progression-free survival or overall survival between the two groups. Needle biopsy has been shown to be highly safe in cases of advanced ovarian cancer and to be as effective as staging laparoscopy in histopathological diagnosis and homologous recombination deficiency testing, enabling prompt treatment initiation without compromising diagnostic accuracy or prognosis.
