The aim of surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer is to remove as much of the cancer as possible. The best results in removing epithelial ovarian cancer occur when surgery is done by a gynaecological oncologist.Removing as much of the cancer as possible allows other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to be more effective.
The type and extent of surgery depends on the type of cancer and whether it has spread outside the ovaries. If the cancer has spread it’s necessary to remove not only the ovary itself (oophorectomy) but also other tissues or organs. This surgery usually means removing the uterus (hysterectomy), both ovaries and fallopian tubes (bi-lateral salpingo-oophorectomy) as well as the fatty tissue around the organs in the abdomen (omentectomy).
Sometimes it’s necessary to remove cancer that has spread to the lining of the abdomen or the bowel. If the bowel is affected, it may be necessary to remove part of the bowel and rejoin the two ends. Lymph nodes may also be removed from the groin or abdomen.
Find out more about:
Surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer
