Can ovarian cancer be cured?

Many cases of ovarian cancer can be cured when it is diagnosed at an early stage. The five year survival rate for patients diagnosed with stage IA cancer is 94 percent. The five year survival rate for those with stage IV disease, however, is 18 percent. read more

Karen: I think surgeons might say a lesser percentage but I have never heard anyone say their surgeon told them a higher percentage. One thing that is interesting about ovarian cancer is that the survival rate has a lot to do with "optimal debulking"--the skill of the surgeon in removing as much of the cancer as possible on the first surgery. read more

With studies showing almost all ovarian cancer deaths occur within 12 years of diagnosis, after which death rates approach that of women in the general population (Gynecol Oncol 2015, 138:741–49; JNCI 2013, 105:141–48), 12-year survival can be considered an indicator of (statistical) cure. The mainstay of ovarian cancer treatment is surgery to maximally reduce tumour burden, followed by chemotherapy to kill as many residual cancer cells as possible. read more