|
Table of Contents General Information About Ovarian Low Malignant Potential
Tumors
Stages of Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
Recurrent Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
Treatment Option Overview
Treatment Options for Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
To Learn More About Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
Get More Information From NCI
Changes to This Summary (09/12/2008)
About PDQ
General Information About Ovarian Low Malignant Potential
Tumors
| Key Points for This Section
|
|
Ovarian low malignant potential tumor is a disease in which
abnormal cells form in
the tissue covering the ovary.
Ovarian low malignant potential tumors have abnormal cells that may become cancer, but usually do not. This disease usually remains in the ovary. When disease is found in one
ovary, the other ovary should also be checked carefully for signs of
disease.
The ovaries are a pair of organs in the female reproductive system. They are
located in the pelvis, one on each
side of the uterus (the hollow,
pear-shaped organ where a fetus grows). Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries
produce eggs and female hormones (chemicals that control the way certain cells or organs work).
Certain factors affect prognosis
(chance of recovery) and treatment options.
The prognosis and treatment options depend on the following:
- The stage of the
disease (whether it affects part of the
ovary, involves the whole ovary, or has spread to other places in the body).
- What type of cells make up the tumor.
- The size of the tumor.
- The patient’s general health.
In most cases, ovarian low malignant potential tumor can be
treated successfully.
These tumors are usually found early. However, even advanced stage ovarian low malignant potential tumors can be treated successfully. Patients who do not
survive usually die from complications of the disease (such as a small bowel obstruction) or the side effects of treatment, but
rarely because the tumor has spread.
Back to Top Stages of Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
| Key Points for This Section
|
|
|
After ovarian low malignant potential tumor has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if abnormal cells have spread within the ovary or to other parts of the body.
The process used to find out whether abnormal cells have spread within the ovary or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the
stage in order to
plan treatment. Certain tests or procedures are used to determine
stage. Staging laparotomy (a surgical incision made in the wall of the abdomen to remove ovarian tissue)
may be used. Most patients are diagnosed with stage
I disease.
The following stages are used for ovarian low malignant potential tumor:
Stage I
In stage I, the tumor is found in one or both of the ovaries. Stage I is divided into stage IA, stage IB, and stage IC.
Stage II
In stage II, the tumor is found in one or both ovaries and has spread into other areas of the pelvis. Stage II is divided into stage IIA, stage IIB, and stage IIC.
Stage III
|
Enlarge
|
|
|
|
|
| Pea, peanut, walnut, and lime show tumor sizes. |
In stage III, the tumor is found in one or both ovaries and has spread to other parts of the abdomen. Stage III is divided into stage IIIA, stage IIIB, and stage IIIC.
The spread of tumor cells to the surface of the liver is also considered stage III disease.
Stage IV
In stage IV, tumor cells are found in one or both ovaries and have metastasized (spread) beyond the abdomen to other parts of the body.
The spread of tumor cells to tissues in the liver is also considered stage IV disease.
Ovarian low malignant potential tumors almost never reach stage IV.
Back to Top Recurrent Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
Ovarian low
malignant potential
tumors may recur (come back) after they have been treated. The tumors may come back in the other ovary or in other parts of the
body.
Back to Top Treatment Option Overview
| Key Points for This Section
|
|
|
There are different types of treatment for patients with ovarian low
malignant potential tumor.
Different types of treatment are available for patients with ovarian low
malignant potential
tumor. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some
are being tested in clinical trials.
A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help
improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients
with cancer, tumors, and related conditions. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the
standard treatment, the new
treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Two types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
The type of surgery (removing the tumor in an operation) depends on
the size and spread of the tumor and the woman’s plans for having children. Surgery
may include the following:
Even if the doctor removes all disease that can be seen at the
time of the operation, the patient may be given chemotherapy after surgery to kill any tumor cells that are left. Treatment given
after the surgery to increase the chances of a cure is called adjuvant therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical
trials.
Information about clinical trials is available from the
NCI Web site.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the medical research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.
Many of today's standard treatments for disease are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.
Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way diseases will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their treatment.
Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose disease has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop a disease from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. See the Treatment Options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials. These have been retrieved from NCI's clinical trials database.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the disease may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests. This is sometimes called re-staging.
Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the disease has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups.
Back to Top Treatment Options for Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some stages, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.
Early Stage Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors (Stage
I and II)
Surgery is the standard treatment for early stage ovarian low
malignant potential
tumor. The type of surgery usually depends on
whether a woman plans to have children.
For women who plan to have children, surgery is either:
To prevent recurrence of
disease, most doctors recommend surgery to remove the remaining ovarian tissue when a woman no longer plans to have children.
For women who do not plan to have children, treatment may
be hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I borderline ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor and stage II borderline ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Late Stage Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors (Stage
III and IV)
Treatment for late stage ovarian low
malignant potential
tumor may
be hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy. A lymph node dissection may also be
performed.
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III borderline ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor and stage IV borderline ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Recurrent Ovarian Low Malignant Potential
Tumors
Treatment for recurrent ovarian low
malignant potential
tumor may include the following:
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent borderline ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Back to Top To Learn More About Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors
For general cancer information and other resources from the National Cancer Institute, see the following:
Back to Top Get More Information From NCI
Call 1-800-4-CANCER
For more information, U.S. residents may call the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers with TTY equipment may call 1-800-332-8615. The call is free and a trained Cancer Information Specialist is available to answer your questions.
Chat online
The NCI's LiveHelp® online chat service provides Internet users with the ability to chat online with an Information Specialist. The service is available from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Information Specialists can help Internet users find information on NCI Web sites and answer questions about cancer.
Write to us
For more information from the NCI, please write to this address:
- NCI Public Inquiries Office
- Suite 3036A
- 6116 Executive Boulevard, MSC8322
- Bethesda, MD 20892-8322
Search the NCI Web site
The NCI Web site provides online access to information on cancer, clinical trials, and other Web sites and organizations that offer support and resources for cancer patients and their families. For a quick search, use our “Best Bets” search box in the upper right hand corner of each Web page. The results that are most closely related to your search term will be listed as Best Bets at the top of the list of search results.
There are also many other places to get materials and information about cancer treatment and services. Hospitals in your area may have information about local and regional agencies that have information on finances, getting to and from treatment, receiving care at home, and dealing with problems related to cancer treatment.
Find Publications
The NCI has booklets and other materials for patients, health professionals, and the public. These publications discuss types of cancer, methods of cancer treatment, coping with cancer, and clinical trials. Some publications provide information on tests for cancer, cancer causes and prevention, cancer statistics, and NCI research activities. NCI materials on these and other topics may be ordered online or printed directly from the NCI Publications Locator. These materials can also be ordered by telephone from the Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237), TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
Back to Top Changes to This Summary (09/12/2008)
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Editorial changes were made to this summary.
Back to Top About PDQ
PDQ is a comprehensive cancer database available on NCI's Web site.
PDQ is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. Most of the information contained in PDQ is available online at NCI's Web site. PDQ is provided as a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health, the federal government's focal point for biomedical research.
PDQ contains cancer information summaries.
The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries are available in two versions. The health professional versions provide detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions provide current and accurate cancer information.
The PDQ cancer information summaries are developed by cancer experts and reviewed regularly.
Editorial Boards made up of experts in oncology and related specialties are responsible for writing and maintaining the cancer information summaries. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made as new information becomes available. The date on each summary ("Date Last Modified") indicates the time of the most recent change.
PDQ also contains information on clinical trials.
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Listings of clinical trials are included in PDQ and are available online at NCI's Web site. Descriptions of the trials are available in health professional and patient versions. Many cancer doctors who take part in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
Back to Top |
)