Dr. Morgan on Bulk Reduction Surgery in Ovarian Cancer

Mark A. Morgan, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, director, Gynecology Oncology for University of Pennsylvania Health Systems, discusses bulk reduction surgery prior to chemotherapy in patients with stage III ovarian cancer.

While there are no randomized controlled trials to prove that patients who have all gross tumor removed at the time of initial surgery have an increased survival benefit, Morgan says, there is evidence that suggests this.

Morgan says these patients are then candidates for intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which has shown a survival benefit in three randomized controlled trials. One trial showed a median survival of greater than 5 years.

Because of this, Morgan believes that unless there is a reason not to, patients should be offered initial chemotherapy and debulking surgery.