Where does ovarian cancer recur?

Ovarian cancer can recur because some cancer cells were left behind after surgery and eventually grow large enough to become obvious. The cancer can come back to the same place as the original tumor (local recurrence) or to another part of the body (regional recurrence). read more

Patients with ovarian cancer who experience progression or continued growth of the cancer during treatment are said to have refractory cancer. Patients with persistent, recurrent or refractory ovarian cancer can benefit from additional treatment with second-line therapy, which is often referred to as salvage therapy. read more

Patients with recurrent ovarian cancer have experienced a period of “remission” following initial surgery and first-line chemotherapy, but have subsequently developed a cancer recurrence. Both the effectiveness and type of available therapy depends on the first-line chemotherapy received, the length of time since finishing treatment and the extent of recurrent cancer. read more

Recurrent ovarian cancer is treatable but rarely curable. Women with recurrent ovarian cancer may have to undergo another surgery. Because many women with recurrent ovarian cancer receive chemotherapy for a prolonged period of time, sometimes continuously, the toxicities of therapy are a major factor in treatment decisions. read more