Ovarian Cancer Care

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is surgical removal of the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

Hysterectomy is surgical removal of the uterus.

Pelvic exenteration is surgical removal of the lower colon, bladder and rectum. In women, the cervix, vagina, ovaries and surrounding lymph nodes may also be removed.

Radical hysterectomy is surgical removal of the uterus, cervix and part of the vagina. In some cases, the surgeon may also remove the fallopian tubes and the ovaries, as well as nearby lymph nodes.

Partial and complete radical vulvectomy is surgical removal of the vulva, consisting of the vaginal lips, the clitoris and the vaginal opening. Nearby lymph nodes are sometimes also removed.

Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLN) is the surgical removal of groups of lymph nodes in the abdomen. The nodes are then checked for the presence of cancer cells.

Sentinel node dissection groin lymphadenectomy is surgical removal of lymph nodes near the groin. Tissue can then be tested for the presence of cancer cells.

Trachelectomy (fertility-sparing surgery) is surgical removal of the cervix. The surgeon may also remove part of the vagina and nearby lymph nodes.

Vaginectomy with reconstruction is surgery to remove and reconstruct some or all of the vagina.

Ovarian wide local excision is surgical removal of an ovarian tumor or lesion and the surrounding tissue.

Image-guided radiation therapy delivers high-dose radiation, guided by imaging, directly to the tumors.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are advanced types of radiation therapies. IMRT uses advanced technology to manipulate the radiation beams to conform to the shape of a tumor. VMAT is a subtype of IMRT in which the machine actively delivers radiation beams while moving in an arc around the patient.

This method of radiation delivery offers next-generation capabilities. The arc-based therapy provided via VMAT delivers high doses of radiation to more focused areas, reducing side effects and the overall treatment time for the patient. This treatment is particularly effective at treating several types of cancer while at the same time reducing toxicity and harm to vital organs.

This procedure is one of several new ways to deliver radiation therapy. It requires a sophisticated facility and equipment, along with highly specialized physicians. It is available at some Providence locations.

Stereotactic radiation (SABR/SBRT) is a group of treatments that includes stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic ablative radiation (SABR) – both of which are adaptations of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) – for the treatment of targets in the body, but outside the brain. Similar to SRS, these techniques deliver very high doses of radiation using sophisticated motion management and patient immobilization techniques.

The number of radiation treatments is minimal and may range from one to five treatments delivered over one to two weeks.

This procedure is one of several new ways to deliver radiation therapy. It requires a sophisticated facility and equipment, along with highly specialized physicians. It is available at some Providence locations.

Surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT/SIGRT) is an approach to radiation targeting that offers real-time beam guidance from face and body surface-recognition systems.

This treatment is particularly effective at treating several types of cancer while at the same time reducing toxicity and harm to vital organs, thus minimizing side effects.

This advanced procedure requires a sophisticated facility and equipment, along with highly specialized physicians. It is available at some Providence locations.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) is a radiation planning and treatment technique in which three-dimensional (3D) imaging enables improved targeting for radiation treatment. 3D planning with CT imaging makes radiation treatment much more conformal, or tailored to the target.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) is a complex treatment in which heated chemotherapy is delivered into the abdomen through catheters following extensive surgical removal (debulking) of a tumor in the abdomen.

Some cancers can spread diffusely throughout the abdomen. By combining surgery with the direct application of chemotherapy, this two-step procedure is highly effective at treating cancers that have spread beyond their organ of origin.

This advanced procedure requires a sophisticated facility and equipment, along with highly specialized physicians. It is available at some Providence locations.