Ovarian cancer Flashcards
In the UK each year, how many woman are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and how many die of the disease?
6000 cases, 4000 deaths
What is the peak age incidence of ovarian cancer?
65-75 years
What does the risk of ovarian cancer relate to?
The number of ovulatory cycles in a woman’s lifetime and multiple pregnancies
5% of ovarian cancers are hereditary, which gene are they linked to?
BRCA 1 and 2
80% of ovarian malignancies are of which histology?
Epithelial
What serum marker is used to monitor response to therapy and detection of early relapse?
CA125
In terms of presentation of ovarian cancer, when do the majority of woman present?
When the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to involve the peritoneum and other abdomino-pelvic organs
What are the most common symptoms associated with ovarian cancer? (4)
- Abdominal discomfort
- Swelling and bloating
- Change in bowel habit
- GI and urinary symptoms also occur
What are the two main prognostic factors in ovarian cancer?
- Stage
2. Amount of residual disease after surgery
What are the 5-year survival rates according to stage for ovarian cancer? (4 stages)
Stage 1 = 80%
Stage 2 = 45%
Stage 3 = 20%
Stage 4 = <10%
What is the primary treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer?
Surgery with the aim to achieve compete surgical removal or maximal debulking effort
Patients must undergo full surgical staging, what does this consist of?
- Midline incision
- Total abdominal hysterectomy
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO)
- Omentectomy
- Multiple peritoneal biopsies and washings
- Lymph node sampling of the para-aortic and pelvic regions
In addition to surgery, what other treatment is offered in the majority of cases?
First-line chemotherapy - platinum and a taxane
Carboplatin is equivalent to cisplatin but with less toxicity
