This year in the United States, an estimated 20,180 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, while an estimated 15,310 women will succumb to this disease. While early stage ovarian cancers have survival rates of 85-90%, the majority of cases are not diagnosed until the late stages giving the overall 5-year survival rate of 51%. Unfortunately, ovarian cancer symptoms, such as abdominal bloating and cramping, are vague, and frequently do not occur until the cancer has spread.

Many advances have been made in the treatment of ovarian cancer in recent years. Complete removal of the tumor up front followed by chemotherapy with the agents Carboplatin and Taxol, has greatly improved the survival and quality of life of patients with this disease. The continuing study of new chemotherapy agents that will hold off the advancement of disease, while causing minimal side effects has yielded some exciting new drug prospects for the future.

At Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are working hard to find new ways to treat, and hopefully one day, cure ovarian cancer. We are a parent institution of the Gynecologic Oncology Group, which is a large NCI-sponsored multi-institutional study group that conducts clinical trials specifically for women with gynecologic malignancies. The Division of Gynecologic Oncology is also actively involved in molecular and translational research that will aid in drug development and identification of individuals with tumors at high risk for recurrence. Through our research efforts and enrollment of patients in national clinical trials, we are committed to helping women fight ovarian cancer.

What You Need to Know about Cancer of the Ovary