Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Ovarian cancer is cancer than begins in your ovaries. However there are many strains of this cancer and different types of tumors that come with it. Of course it can spread to other parts of the body which would then need to be treated separately. However the types of tumors in the ovaries can be:

Epithelial tumors – The Epithelial is the tissue that covers the outside of your ovary. Around 90% of all ovarian cancers are this type. Mainly this occurs in women over 60 years of age.

Germ Cell Tumor – This is the type of tumor that develops in the egg producing tissue. This accounts for around 5% of all ovarian cancer are this. This is usually the type that younger women contract.

There are 2 main types of this tumor and both are very rare. The Choriocarcinoma is the type that starts in your placenta and occurs during pregnancy. It has very rapid growth and is dealt with by chemotherapy. Endodremal sinus tumor is another type of
Germ Cell tumor & again is dealt with by chemotherapy.

Stromal tumors – These are present in the progesterone and estrogen producing tissues (These hold the ovary together!)

Borderline Ovarian Cancers - These are tumors that spread slow and have a very high cure rate. Around 10 to 15% of all epithelial tumors are border line. These types of tumors are usually cured by surgery to remove the tumors.

The first step in treatment of ovarian cancer usually always is surgical removal. Called debulking or optimal cytoreduction it involves the removal of as much of the cancerous tissues as possible. The successful removal of as much of the tissue as possible can drastically improve the patient’s chances of survival for at least 5 years. Many go onto to have long, high quality lives once the tumors are removes. This can sometimes be followed up my chemotherapy.