Surgery for ovarian cancer

The most efficient treatment for ovarian cancer is a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Both ovaries will be surgically removed, usually together with the uterus and omentum (fatty tissue).

If you want to have children and your illness hasn’t progressed too far, we may be able to preserve the uterus and one ovary. Your surgeon won’t know whether this is an option for you until the operation.

More information

Surgery for ovarian cancer - what to expect?

Before your surgery, you will be invited to come in for a preoperative screening. Right before the operation, you will receive an epidural which will numb your lower body, or general anesthetics, so you will be unconscious during the procedure.

Ovarian surgery is an open surgery that is performed through an incision in the abdomen. This incision will run between your pubic bone up to the sternum. This is necessary to allow your surgeon to inspect the lower abdomen. Your surgeon will remove the uterus, both ovaries, and the omentum.

Your surgeon will remove as much tumor tissue as possible. This means that parts of your intestines, liver, or bladder might need to be removed if your tumor has spread to these organs.

For some patients, additional surgery would not be safe. If this is the case for you, you will receive chemotherapy before your surgery in order to shrink the tumor as much as possible. Afterwards we will see if your tumor can be surgically removed after all.

Effectiveness

Preoperative screening

General and local anesthesia

Side-effects

After the procedure

Fertility preservation before the start of treatment

Operatie Animatie Stil