US SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1973-1995. Accurate staging is required to determine appropriate treatment. This may be difficult to achieve due to the potential for occult metastases in the upper abdomen and lymph nodes. Treatment for women with advanced ovarian cancer will, for the most part, delay symptomatic relapse. This treatment includes surgery to debulk the tumour to further reduce it to a state of minimal disease.
Trials are ongoing to determine the optimal treatment for the various stages of ovarian cancer.
National Cancer Institute of Canada. Canadian cancer statistics 1999 . Cancer epidemiology and prevention . Whittemore AS, Harris R, Itnyre J, et al. A quantitative assessment of oral contraceptive use and risk of ovarian cancer .