Cytoreduction Surgery for Ovarian Cancer

Cytoreduction literally means a reduction in the number of cells. So cytoreductive surgery refers to a treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in which surgery attempts to remove as many cancerous cells as possible.

1. Cytoreduction can also be:

2. Primary - The first part of cancer treatment.

3. Interval - Done after some chemotherapy has been given.

4. Secondary - Done after someone has had a recurrence of their cancer.

5. Tertiary - Done after several recurrences of the cancer.

Ovarian cancer

A cancer that begins in the female organs that produce eggs (ovaries).

Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and stomach. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat and can be fatal.

Ovarian cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages. Later stages are associated with symptoms, but they can be non-specific, such as loss of appetite and weight loss.

Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer.

Fibroid Uterus

Uterine Fibroids are non-cancerous tumours in the uterus. This is a most common health problem among women of child bearing age. Generally the complaint of uterine fibroid comes between the age group of 30 to 45 years. This benign tumour can cause pain, excessive menstrual bleeding, infertility. It can vary in size, from that of a few mm to as large as a melon. Small fibroids may not need treatment while large fibroid can be treated only through surgery. Very large fibroids as large as water-melon are not very common.

Some women have no symptoms to indicate that they have fibroids, and will find out only on a routine ultrasound or gynaecological examination.

Fibroids affect at least 20% of all women during their life. Overweight and obese women are at significantly higher risk of developing fibroids, compared to women of normal weight.

Symptoms of Fibroids