Ovarian cancer treatment typically begins with a surgical procedure designed to remove as much of a tumor as possible (cytoreductive or debulking surgery), along with some samples of nearby tissue, lymph nodes and abdominal fluid for testing. The test results are evaluated (along with other individual factors) by a patient’s treatment team when considering possible therapies. At Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, which is just east of Clearwater, FL, this process is performed collaboratively by a multispecialty tumor board of gynecologic cancer experts. This is just one way that we ensure the best possible outcomes and quality of life for our patients.
The experienced surgeons at Moffitt can perform several types of surgery for ovarian cancer treatment, including:
- Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of one ovary and one fallopian tube)
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries and both fallopian tubes)
- Partial hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
- Total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix)
- Lymph node dissection (removal of lymph nodes from the pelvic and para-aortic areas)
- Omentectomy (removal of the membrane of fatty tissue that covers the abdominal organs)
Ovarian cancer surgery is often followed by a course of chemotherapy, which uses powerful drugs to destroy cancerous cells that could not be surgically removed, and also to help prevent recurrence. Chemo drugs can be injected into a vein or delivered via a catheter that is placed inside the abdominal cavity.
Many women from Clearwater and other Florida cities – as well as all 50 states and more than 100 countries – turn to Moffitt for ovarian cancer treatment. Widely recognized as the top-ranked cancer center in the state of Florida as well as the entire southeastern region of the United States, Moffitt inspires confidence and hope in our patients and their families. Through our extensive research efforts, which have earned us a prestigious Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute, Moffitt is making significant progress toward one day finding a cure.
A full range of ovarian cancer treatment options is conveniently available to women from Clearwater, FL, at Moffitt’s Center for Women’s Oncology. For more information, call 1-888-663-3488 or complete our new patient registration form online. No referrals are required.