Ovarian cancer
How will my treatment be determined? Surgery is the cornerstone of management for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer
Your treatment will depend on how far advanced your cancer is and if surgery remains an option, on surgically defined staging of your cancer (please see section below), and risk assessment. Surgery is the cornerstone of epithelial ovarian cancer management in its early stages. Surgery in all stages is best done in a specialist centre, with a highly qualified and experienced surgeon who can ensure that all traces of your cancer are removed to give you the best possible outcome (Querleu et al., 2016 ).
Establishing a treatment plan Surgical management of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer The aim of surgery for early epithelial ovarian cancer is to remove the tumour and establish the disease stage; this will help your doctor decide if you need chemotherapy. Your surgeon will remove your ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus, as well as any lymph nodes that may be affected. Sometimes, other tissues close to the location of the tumour will be removed also. This will ensure that as much of the cancer as possible is taken away along with a healthy ‘margin’ of tissues to help stop it coming back (Ledermann et al., 2013 ). If you are a younger woman who has not yet completed or had a family, your surgeon may be able to offer you fertility-sparing surgery but this will depend on the precise nature of your epithelial ovarian cancer and you will be informed of any potential risks (Morice et al., 2011). Whatever you decide, your specialist and his/her team will support and advise you as well as carefully monitoring your health.
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