Stage IV Cancer is found in one or both ovaries and has spread outside the abdomen or has spread to the inside of the liver. Refractory disease means the cancer is no longer responding to treatment. There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the ovary. An aggressive approach to tumor debulking is important in ovarian cancer, since removal of the maximum amount of tumor is associated with improved survival. The procedure is best performed by a qualified gynecologic oncologist, a gynecologic surgeon with specialized training in pelvic cancers.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells.
It may be taken by pill or put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and kill cancer cells outside the ovaries. Treatment by Stage Treatment of cancer of the ovary depends on the stage of your disease, the type of disease, your age, and your overall condition. You may receive treatment as part of an ongoing clinical trial for ovarian cancer. Clinical trials are going on in most parts of the country for most stages of cancer of the ovary.