Ovarian cancer

What is ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a serious disease of the reproductive system. First of all, because it is practically asymptomatic, and there are no adequate methods of early diagnosis of this disease in modern medicine. Therefore, 85% of patients with ovarian cancer arrive already at the third stage, when the disease has spread throughout the abdominal cavity. If pathology is detected at an early stage, which occurs in only 15% of cases, it is possible to perform an organ-preserving operation.

Marker search

It is believed that a blood test to detect the CA 125 marker can diagnose early signs of ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The CA 125 value in women with early ovarian cancer will be normal in 50% of cases. This analysis is used by doctors during treatment to monitor the tumor's response to therapy.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

• bloating;
• pain in the abdomen or pelvis;
• decreased appetite or feeling of rapid overflow;
• imperative (sharp) urge to urinate or frequent urination.

Since these symptoms often appear in other diseases, women usually do not have thoughts about the possible development of ovarian cancer. If such symptoms occur daily for several weeks or there is an increase in the severity of symptoms, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist.

Stages

• Stage 1: Cancer is found in one or both ovaries, is asymptomatic, and organ-preserving surgical treatment is possible.

• Stage 2: cancer has affected neighboring organs in the pelvis (uterus, fallopian tubes). As in the first case, there may be no symptoms, it is possible to save the organ during surgical treatment.

• Stage 3: Cancer extends beyond the pelvis and is found in the abdominal organs, such as the intestines, diaphragm, omentum, and so on. The possibility of complete surgical removal is dramatically reduced.

• Stage 4: Cancer spreads beyond the abdominal cavity, and malignant cells are detected in the lungs, liver, and other distant organs. The treatment regimen is selected individually.

Diagnostics

A doctor may sometimes suspect ovarian cancer at preventive examination during palpation of the lower abdomen and examination of the pelvic organs using ultrasound. If dense formations are found, he prescribes additional tests and examinations. These may include cancer marker tests, pelvic MRI, abdominal CT, gastro- or colonoscopy, mammography, and sometimes PET CT.

Treatment

The main treatments for ovarian cancer are surgery, pre- or postoperative chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

The volume and method of surgical intervention depends on the size and prevalence of the tumor, as well as on the woman's desire to preserve her reproductive function. In the first stage, minimally traumatic laparoscopic surgery is often performed, which consists of removing one or both ovaries, taking multiple biopsies and removing lymph nodes. In later stages, in addition to the ovaries, the uterus, all affected organs, the lymph nodes of the pelvis and abdomen, as well as the omentum are also removed. The greatest percentage of cure is observed precisely with the most radical removal of all tumor nodes.

In addition to laparoscopic operations, EMC specialists perform operations on the latest generation of Da Vinci robots. Robotic surgery is: 

• high precision. A 10x magnification 3D image is available during the operation. Therefore, the specialist can freely control the robot, whose "hands" - micro-tools - can operate where the doctor's hands cannot maneuver. 

• safety. During manipulation, the surrounding tissues, including thin nerve branches, fibers and vessels, are not injured, and the functions of the pelvic organs are preserved. 

• fast recovery. Operations are performed with minimal blood loss and injury, which minimizes the rehabilitation period. 

After surgery, chemotherapy is almost always indicated.

As a rule, chemotherapy and surgery alone do not give a chance for a complete cure, so they are most often used in combination. Treatment of stage IV ovarian cancer, when the disease is too common, usually begins with chemotherapy, and only when the tumor has shrunk, on average after three cycles of chemotherapy, surgery is performed.

Advantages of treatment in EMC

• Preservation of reproductive function in young cancer patients.

• International modern diagnostic and treatment protocols. 

• The latest equipment from the world's best manufacturers.

• In difficult cases, the organization of interdisciplinary consultations with the participation of all necessary related specialists, including international experts.

• Fast track hospitalization is the fastest possible rehabilitation of patients after surgery, and the shortest hospital stay.