Early treatment methods for ovarian cancer

Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

Updated on September 05, 2024

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The treatment methods for early-stage ovarian cancer should first and foremost include a clear diagnosis and staging. If the staging indicates an early stage, then surgical treatment can be applied. There are many surgical options available, such as cytoreductive surgery, interval debulking surgery, second-look laparotomy, and direct tumor cell reduction surgery. After the surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy can be administered for treatment.

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ovarian cancer specific drug

Ovarian cancer does not have any specific cure-all treatment. Most ovarian cancers are epithelial ovarian cancers, and there is also ovarian cancer resulting from malignant germ cells, which is a rarer pathology type. For epithelial ovarian cancer, treatment methods include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and some targeted therapies, mainly using Bevacizumab, which is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits angiogenesis, and is usually used in combination with chemotherapy drugs. For patients with advanced ovarian cancer, those who are resistant to chemotherapy, or those in poor general health unable to endure chemotherapy, palliative treatments like hormone treatment using progestogens are an option, along with immune therapy being available nowadays. Surgery is primarily for early-stage ovarian cancer patients, where curative surgical resection is possible, or for debulking surgery in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Chemotherapy is frequently used as it is relatively effective for epithelial ovarian cancer, a type of cancer that is somewhat sensitive to such treatments. The drugs used mainly include taxane combined with platinum-based chemotherapy. For intravenous administration or intraperitoneal delivery—for the latter, mainly for ovarian cancers complicated by extensive ascites—, positioning an abdominal drainage tube and then infusing platinum-based chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity are utilized.

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Does ovarian cancer hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy work?

Patients with ovarian cancer are prone to peritoneal metastasis, so many patients develop ascites during the discovery of the disease or its progression. A large amount of ascites is a common concurrent symptom in patients with ovarian cancer. For patients with significant ascites like this, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can be performed, which involves infusing chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity and then combining it with thermotherapy. This treatment generally has a decent effect, especially in controlling the spread of cancer cells in the peritoneum and managing ascites.

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How is ovarian cancer screened?

The most commonly used screening method for ovarian cancer is the B-ultrasound examination of the adnexa uteri. The B-ultrasound can detect ovarian masses and tumors, and when these are found, the possibility of ovarian cancer should be considered, necessitating further examinations for confirmation. Another method involves the tumor marker CA125, which is relatively sensitive and specific for epithelial ovarian cancer. Therefore, for ovarian cancer screening, we can perform a blood test for CA125 in conjunction with a B-ultrasound of the adnexa uteri.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

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How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Ultrasound or CT scans detecting ovarian masses, in combination with biopsy or cytological examination that identify cancer cells, can diagnose ovarian cancer. A common method of biopsy includes ultrasound-guided procedures or transvaginal cul-de-sac puncture biopsy of ovarian masses, enabling clear pathological confirmation. Additionally, exploratory laparotomy or early radical surgery for ovarian cancer patients can yield a postoperative pathological diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Moreover, the presence of ascites is a common symptom in ovarian cancer patients; finding cancer cells, especially adenocarcinoma, in ascites, coupled with significantly elevated tumor marker CA125, or ultrasound or CT imagery revealing ovarian masses, can also diagnose ovarian cancer.

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Written by Zhou Chen

Oncology

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How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Early screening for ovarian cancer allows for about 20% of cases to be diagnosed in their early stages. Detection generally follows these procedures: 1. Routine gynecological health check-ups. 2. Visiting a hospital due to certain symptoms. 3. Ovarian cancer screening. Common methods include transvaginal ultrasound and serum CA125 testing. Additional tests include tumor marker CA125 and checks for AFP, CA19-9, and CEA. Ultrasonography (B-ultrasound) can preliminarily determine the tumor size, shape, solidity, location, and its relation to surrounding organs. CT scans and MRI can further clarify the tumor's nature and the extent of invasion into the abdominal and pelvic organs. If necessary, gastroscopy can be performed to rule out primary gastrointestinal tumors, and if economic conditions allow, a PADCT scan can also be conducted.