Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address: [Email]
Complete surgical resection affords the best prognosis at the time of interval debulking surgery. When complete surgical resection is unachievable, optimal residual disease is considered the next best alternative. Despite contradicting evidence on the survival benefit of interval debulking surgery if macroscopic residual disease remains, the current definition of "optimal" in patients undergoing interval debulking surgery is defined as largest diameter of disease measuring ≤1.0 cm, independent of the total volume of disease.