Ovarian Cancer: Stages, Survival Rates And Treatments That You Should Know

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Ovarian cancer is any cancerous growth that may occur in different parts of the ovary. In order to make a definitive diagnosis of ovarian cancer, a gynecologic oncologist must perform surgery to gather samples for analysis by a pathologist. During the surgery, the surgeon will assess how far the disease has spread and whether it is affecting other parts of the body. This assessment is called “staging.”. Knowing the stage helps the doctor to decide what kind of treatment is best and can help predict a patient's prognosis, which is the chance of recovery. Here is a look at the stages of Ovarian cancer.

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STAGE 1

In Stage I ovarian cancer, cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be found on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen (ascites).

  • IA – Limited to one ovary and the outer ovarian capsule is not ruptured. There is no tumor on the external surface of the ovary and there is no ascites and/or the washings are negative.

  • IB – Cancer is present in both ovaries, but the outer capsule is intact and there is no tumor on external surface. There is no ascites and the washings are negative.

  • IC – The cancer is either Stage IA or IB level but the capsule is ruptured or there is tumor on the ovarian surface or malignant cells are present in ascites or washings.
Stage ------------ Relative 5-Year Survival Rate

I ------- 89%

IA --------- 94%

IB --------- 91%

IC ----------- 80%


Prognosis & Survival Rates
For all types of ovarian cancer taken together, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer live for at least 1 year after diagnosis. Almost half (46%) of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. Women diagnosed when they are younger than 65 do better than older women.

Most women with Stage I ovarian cancer have an excellent prognosis. Stage I patients with grade I tumors have a 5-year survival of over 90%, as do patients in stages IA and IB. Survival rates are often based on studies of large numbers of people, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. Other factors impact a woman’s prognosis, including her general health, the grade of the cancer, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.

Treatment
Generally women with Stage I ovarian cancer have a total abdominal hysterectomy, removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes (called a salpingo-oopherectomy), an omentectomy (removal of the omentum, a sheet of fat that covers some abdominal organs), biopsy of lymph nodes and other tissues in the pelvis and abdomen. Women of childbearing age who wish to preserve their fertility and whose disease is confined to one ovary may be treated by a unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without a hysterectomy. (Omentectomy and the other parts of the staging procedure are still performed.) Depending on the pathologist’s interpretation of the tissue removed, there may be no further treatment if the cancer is low grade, or if the tumor is high grade the patient may receive combination chemotherapy.


STAGE II
In Stage II ovarian cancer, cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are found on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be found in fluid collected from the abdomen.
  • IIA – Extension or implants onto the uterus and/or fallopian tube. The washings are negative washings and there is no ascites.

  • IIB – Extension or implants onto other pelvic tissues. The washings are negative and there is no ascites.

  • IIC – Pelvic extension or implants like Stage IIA or IIB but with positive pelvic washings
Stage II ovarian cancer is a small group, compromising 10% of ovarian cancer diagnoses.

Prognosis & Survival Rates
For all types of ovarian cancer taken together, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer live for at least 1 year after diagnosis. Almost half (46%) of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. Women diagnosed when they are younger than 65 do better than older women.

Most women diagnosed with Stage II ovarian cancer have a five-year survival rate of approximately 66%. Survival rates are often based on studies of large numbers of people, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. Other factors impact a woman’s prognosis, including her general health, the grade of the cancer, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.


Stage ---------------- Relative 5-Year Survival Rate

II ------- 66%

IIA ------- 76%

IIB ---------- 67%

IIC ----------- 57%


Treatment
Treatment for Stage II ovarian cancer includes: hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes), debulking of as much of the tumor as possible, and sampling of lymph nodes and other tissues in the pelvis and abdomen that are suspected of harboring cancer. After the surgical procedure, treatment may be one of the following: 1) combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy or 2) combination chemotherapy.

READ: Ovarian Cancer: 7 Important Risk Factors You Should Never Ignore

STAGE III:
In Stage III ovarian cancer, cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be found on the outside of the liver.

  • IIIA – Tumor is largely confined to the pelvis but with micro-scopic peritoneal metastases beyond pelvis to abdominal peritoneal surfaces or the omentum.

  • IIIB – Same as IIIA but with macro-scopic peritoneal or omental metastases beyond pelvis less than 2 cm in size

  • IIIC – Same as IIIA but with peritoneal or omental metastases beyond pelvis, larger than 2 cm or lymph node metastases to inguinal, pelvic, or para-aortic areas.
51% of all cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed when they are Stage III.

Prognosis & Survival Rates
For all types of ovarian cancer taken together, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer live for at least 1 year after diagnosis. Almost half (46%) of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. Women diagnosed when they are younger than 65 do better than older women.

Most women diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer have a five-year survival rate of approximately 34%. Survival rates are often based on studies of large numbers of people, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. Other factors impact a woman’s prognosis, including her general health, the grade of the cancer, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.

Stage -------------- Relative 5-Year Survival Rate

III ------- 34%

IIIA ------- 45%

IIIB ------- 39%

IIIC -------- 35%


Treatment
Treatment for Stage III ovarian cancer is the same as for Stage II ovarian cancer: hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes), debulking of as much of the tumor as possible, and sampling of lymph nodes and other tissues in the pelvis and abdomen that are suspected of harboring cancer. After surgery, the patient may either receive combination chemotherapy possibly followed by additional surgery to find and remove any remaining cancer.

READ: Ovarian Cancer: 10 Signs And Symptoms You Should Know

STAGE IV:

In Stage IV ovarian cancer, the cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be found inside the liver, in the lungs and in other organs.

13% of all cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed when they are Stage IV.

Prognosis & Survival Rates
For all types of ovarian cancer taken together, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer live for at least 1 year after diagnosis. Almost half (46%) of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. Women diagnosed when they are younger than 65 do better than older women.

Most women diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer have a five-year survival rate of approximately 18%. Survival rates are often based on studies of large numbers of people, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. Other factors impact a woman’s prognosis, including her general health, the grade of the cancer, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.

Treatment
Treatment for Stage IV ovarian cancer will consist of surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by combination chemotherapy.

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PS: This information put together as a guide are culled from health-related articles on websites, journals, and videos.
 
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