Ovarian Cancer Program

Our approach to ovarian cancer care

You receive comprehensive care from a team of gynecologic cancer specialists, which may include:

• Medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists
• Nutritionists
• Oncology nurses and nurse practitioners
• Oncology psychiatrists and social workers
• Palliative care providers
• Pathologists and radiologists

We use a variety of diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose and stage ovarian cancer, such as:

• CT scan, to see images of organs and tissues inside your body
• Genetic testing, to look for gene changes that raise cancer risk
• Physical exam, to plan for surgery
• Tumor marker test, to measure different types of tumor markers, depending on the type of ovarian cancer
• Ultrasound, to look for signs of tumors on your ovaries
• Tumor testing, to identify various pathways and mechanisms to specifically attack tumor cells

Our pathologists are subspecialized in identifying gynecologic cancers. They meet regularly with the rest of our care team to discuss each patient’s diagnosis and help plan the most effective treatments.

As leading cancer researchers, we offer the latest medical treatments in addition to traditional chemotherapy. These can include:

• Immunotherapy, to help your immune system destroy cancer cells
• Intraperitoneal chemotherapy, to infuse chemotherapy medicine directly into your abdomen, either during surgery (heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy or HIPIC) or after surgery
• Therapies for drug-resistant tumors, to overcome classical chemotherapy resistance using different pathways

If your treatment involves surgery, the type of surgery will depend on many factors specific to you. Your surgeon may do a lymph node dissection, which can help detect microscopic cancer spread that may not be visible on imaging.

Our surgeons use less invasive approaches whenever possible, such as laparoscopic surgery and robotic-assisted surgery.

• Ovarian cancer surgeries can include:
• Cytoreductive surgery
• Hysterectomy
• Salpingo-oophorectomy
• Removal of omentum, lymph nodes, or diseased areas
• Bowel resection

Our renowned radiation oncologists offer a full spectrum of radiation treatments for patients with localized recurrences of ovarian cancer. These include:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), an external form of radiation that sculpts dose to the area being targeted while reducing dose to nearby organs.
• Proton beam therapy, a form of radiation that uses proton beams instead of X-rays that is more precise and can be used in specific cases of recurrent ovarian cancer.