EdhaCare - Ovarian Cancer Treatment In India

The majority of ovarian cancer are treated with surgery.

It is a surgical procedure that removes a cancerous tumour from the ovaries.

The goal is to determine the extent of your cancer's spread and to surgically remove as much of the tumour as possible.

The amount of the surgery is determined by how far the cancer has progressed throughout the body and the patient's general health.

The most common treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery followed by chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer can spread outside of the ovaries and damage other regions of the body.

In some circumstances, your doctor may need to undertake additional surgies such as:

• Lymphadenectomy (elimination of affected lymph glands) Splenectomy
• Appendectomy
• Omentectomy (Removal of the fat layers that cover the intestines)
• Cholecystectomy
• Hysterectomy (Removing the Uterus)
• Resection of bowel and/or other structures in the belly

If you are looking for the best ovarian cancer treatment in India, connect with us for detailed information.

Ovarian cancer symptoms are non-specific, and detection of ovarian cancer is difficult on an early stage.

By the time ovarian cancer is discovered, it has spread to other parts of the body in the majority of cases.

Patients should, however, be aware of the symptoms they are experiencing in their bodies and seek medical advice as soon as possible if there is:

• Change in bladder habits like an increase in frequency or incontinence
• Severe lower back pain
• Swelling or bloating in the stomach
• Constant abdominal or pelvic pain
• Regular fatigue feeling
• Pain during sex
• Sudden weight loss or weight gain in the abdominal area
• Loss of appetite, feeling full very quickly or constipation
• Abnormal changes in the menstrual cycle

Women who have been experiencing a combination of the above symptoms on a regular basis should see their gynaecologist for a cancer test as soon as possible.

Your doctor will recommend certain tests a week or two before your operation to ensure you are healthy enough for the procedure.

These tests are commonly used to assess your overall health and well-being.

Before your surgery, you should have the following tests done:

Pap smear test and a pelvic examination

Blood tests - that may include complete hemogram, liver function test, renal function test, serum electrolytes, and coagulation profile.

Urine tests

Your surgeon will schedule your operation based on the findings of the tests listed above.

You will also have to undertake the following tests the day before the surgery:

• ECG
• Cancer screening
• Blood and urine tests
• Chest X-Ray

If the patient has undergone pre-operative chemotherapy, the toxic effects of the medications are also taken into account before the surgical procedure.

General anaesthesia is used during ovarian cancer surgery.

Based on the stage of cancer, your doctor will propose the best type of surgery for you.

A minimally invasive approach is used if the cancer is in its early stages, but open surgery is required if the malignancy has progressed.

An open surgery involves making a big incision in the abdominal area, about 20 cm long, to remove the ovaries and surrounding tissues.

Many small incisions are made in minimally invasive surgery to insert surgical equipment and to remove the ovaries laparoscopically.

The surgeon will take several tissue samples from the abdominal region if the surgery is conducted for an early stage cancer.

The lymph nodes and pelvis are examined to see how far the cancer has spread.

To detect cancer cells, a fatty tissue layer (omentum) close to the ovaries is also removed.

After the tissues have been removed, abdominal washing, also known as peritoneal cleaning, is performed by injecting sterile fluid into the stomach and then extracting it.

The cancer cells are then checked bu using this fluid.

In a procedure known as debulking, your surgeon will remove as much of the tumour as possible, as well as any cancer cells surrounding the ovaries.

If the cancerous cells have spread to other parts of the body, such as lymph glands and nodes, the surgeon may decide to remove these as well.

When you wake up after surgery, you may feel some discomfort or pain.

A catheter will be implanted after the surgery to remove the extra fluids from the body from the open wound area.

Discharge from the hospital takes about 3-6 days, and you can only go if the catheter is removed .

If the patient has advanced cancer, your surgeon will provide chemotherapy post the procedure.

About 30% of women with advanced cancers can be treated with a combination of chemotherapy and surgery.

You may suffer abrupt menopause symptoms for a few weeks if both ovaries are removed during the surgery.

To treat these symptoms, your doctor will prescribe hormone replacement therapy.

• It can take up to 6 weeks for a patient to return to their normal routine after surgery.
• For the next 4-6 weeks, avoid intense exertion and sexual activity.
• Breathing and leg exercises are indicated to prevent blood clots in the legs or chest infection.
• Calcium and Vitamin D levels in the body can be increased by eating healthy foods or taking supplements.
• For at least 1-2 weeks, don't drive.

Before the surgery, your doctor will inform you of all the risks and complications that may arise.

The following are some of the risks you may face following your operation:

• The patient may experience severe postoperative pain.
• Infection in the wound.
• Blood clots may be formed in the veins of legs or pelvis.
• Damage to surrounding organs like bladder, bowel or ureter.