Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women and the leading cause of death from female reproductive system tumors.
Every year in Israel, about 300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is part of a group of diseases that also includes fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer.
The primary risk factors associated with developing ovarian cancer are: carrying mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (common in Ashkenazi Jewish populations but possible in women of other backgrounds), age over 60, and a family history of ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer.
The initial symptoms of the disease are not prominent, not specific, and usually do not aid in the early diagnosis of the disease. They may include abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, changes in bowel habits, and changes in weight.
To date, no sufficiently effective screening technique has been found for early detection of ovarian cancer (similar to mammography for breast cancer), so most women are diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer.
Diagnosis of the disease typically follows suspicious symptoms and is initially based on physical examination and gynecological examination. Subsequently, the woman undergoes pelvic ultrasound, chest and abdominal CT scan, and general blood tests including the tumor marker CA125.
Treatment for ovarian cancer is approached through two main avenues - surgical treatment and therapeutic treatment.
The goal of surgery for ovarian cancer is to leave the abdominal and pelvic cavities as free as possible from any visible tumor findings. Surgical treatment can be primary or, in cases of advanced disease and the woman's poor condition, secondary after early chemotherapy.
Even after optimal surgical and chemotherapy treatment, there is a risk of disease recurrence, and when the disease recurs, the standard treatment is typically re-exposure to chemotherapy.
With the aim of trying to prevent disease recurrence or at least prolonging remission until recurrence, there is an option to combine, after surgical and chemotherapy treatment, targeted biological treatment against the repair mechanism of DNA in cells, for women whose tumor is suitable for this (carrying genetic mutations in BRCA1/2 genes or a similar condition in the tumor). Hence, genetic counseling is highly important early in the disease.
At Shaare Zedek Oncology Institute, treatment for ovarian cancer is conducted in full cooperation with the Gynecologic Oncology Unit in the Women's Department. Every decision is made in a multidisciplinary meeting involving all disciplines related to disease diagnosis and treatment.
The nursing team, support team, and research team enable comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment, providing the most personal and professional care for patients.
