Staging and Treatment
Ovarian cancer is divided into four stages, and treatment decisions vary based on the stage diagnosed.
The stages are following:
- Stage I: Cancer is confined to one or both ovaries. When cancer is diagnosed at this stage, a woman has a 95% chance of being cured. Unfortunately, only 25% of cases are found at Stage I.
Stage II: Cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread to other part of the pelvis.
Stage III: Cancer is in one or both ovaries, and has spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other abdominal organs, excluding the liver.
Stage IV: Cancer is in one or both ovaries, and has spread to the liver or sites outside the abdomen.
An additional goal of surgery is to remove as much malignant material as possible. Unless the disease is confined to ovary, the surgery usually involves removing both ovaries, the uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix and the omentum, a layer of fatty tissue that covers the intestines.
Typically, surgery is followed by chemotherapy. Standard first-line chemotherapy combines two drugs, Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel). Because new anti-nausea drugs have gone a long way towards eliminating stomach discomfort and vomiting during chemotherapy, patients can often return to their normal activities soon after surgery.
During and after chemotherapy, doctors monitor women's progress via pelvic exams, and with the CA-125 blood test. While the CA-125 isn't a fool-proof screening test for ovarian cancer, it does reliably indicate whether the disease is recurring in women who have already been treated.
Because of individual differences, every woman should discuss treatment options with her physician.
Chances of survival are greatly increased if initial surgery is performed by a certified Gynecological Oncologist.
Doctors
