Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that affects the ovaries and the regions surrounding it. The cancer is quite undetectable until it reaches the stomach and pelvis which is too late for many women. Ovarian cancer, along with breast cancer, is one of the most common cancers that affect women and cause the possibility of the removal of the entire ovary and smaller organs surrounding it to ensure that the cancer does not relapse.

Treatment plans for ovarian cancer are almost always chosen depending on the type of cancer, its stage, and other unique situations with respect to the patient. Most treatments involve a surgical procedure to remove most of the tumor that is then followed by an accompanying treatment to endure the entire removal of all malignant cells in the body.

Treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer

A biopsy is done to determine the stage of the cancer and how serious it is.

Stage 1
The initial treatment involves removing the tumor. Unless the patient wants to have kids in the future, it is best recommended to remove the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Under stage 1A and 1B there are sub-grades that determine the type of accompanying treatment to be taken.

• Grade 1
  This grade includes tumors classified as low grade and generally requires no further treatment after surgery.
• Grade 2
  After surgery, these patients are watched closely without further treatment. They might sometimes be treated with chemotherapy.
• Grade 3
  After surgery, the patient is advised to opt for chemotherapy.

For stage 1C, chemotherapy of about 3-6 cycles is taken after surgery.

Stage 2

Stage 2 cancers are treated initially with surgery, removing as much of the tumor as possible. Following surgery, chemotherapy is administered to the patient for at least six cycles. Sometimes, women are given intraperitoneal chemotherapy instead of intravenous chemotherapy for higher efficiency.

Stage 3

This stage is the starting of the alarmingly dangerous stages. Similar to stage two, the tumor is removed through surgery and then debulked. The ovaries, fallopian tubes, and omentum are all removed. Visible tumors are completely removed. If the tumor has spread to the intestines, part of them must also be removed. The smaller the tumor is, the higher the chances of survival.

An alternate option is to administer intra-abdominal chemotherapy along with intravenous chemotherapy after surgery.

Stage 4

In stage 4 of ovarian cancer, the malignancy has spread to distant organs like the liver and lungs.

• Surgery can be performed to remove all the visible tumors as done before. Surgery is followed by chemotherapy sessions and possibly, targeted therapy.
• An alternative is to administer three chemotherapy sessions before and after the surgery. This will cause a reduction in the cancer cells before the surgery which is a better option.
• Another method to help the patient is to limit treatments to the types that extend lifespan, reduce pain and improve the comfort of the patient rather than actually trying to fight off cancer. This is usually recommended when it is known that there is no chance for the survival of the patient. In these cases, it is better to facilitate happier moments during the patient’s final days.