Barts and The London Cancer Centre
Click here to visit the dedicated gynaecological cancer centre website.
The gynaecological cancer centre at Barts and The London has an international reputation for the excellence in the care it provides.
We have five consultants in gynaecological oncology, two in medical oncology, one in clinical oncology and two in palliative care, as well as three clinical nurse specialists. We also have dedicated pathology and radiology support.
We offer comprehensive treatment for women with ovarian cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. All of our standard treatments follow guidelines set down by national bodies, such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
If a woman is suspected of having ovarian cancer, treatment is planned based upon her age, general health and the type of tumour. It is possible for two patients with the same type of cancer to have different treatment plans. However, ovarian cancer is usually treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy.
The aim of surgery is to remove as much of the cancer as possible and to assess the extent of disease. How much tissue is removed during the operation will depend upon the results of the investigations that are done before surgery.
During surgery, the affected ovary and possibly the other ovary will be removed. Often, the uterus (womb) will also need to be removed (called a hysterectomy) along with the fallopian tubes and part or all of the omentum - a layer of fatty tissue covering organs within the abdomen. This is called a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Some lymph nodes may also be removed to assess if there are any cancer cells within them.
Chemotherapy is usually given in addition to surgery, to ‘mop up’ any cancer cells left behind that are too small to detect. This will help reduce the possibility of the cancer returning. Occasionally, chemotherapy may be given to shrink the cancer before surgery.
We participate in national and international chemotherapy trials and we will be the leading centre in the UK for intraperiteonal chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.
In collaboration with colleagues in the Institute of Cancer at Barts and the London Medical School, we are also developing novel treatments for ovarian cancer, including new antibodies and gene therapy. Our patients involved in our clinical trials are treated in our specialised research unit at our dedicated Experimental Medicine Unit.
For full details about our gynaecological cancer centre, please click here to visit our dedicated website.
Cancerbackup – ovarian cancer - www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Ovary
Cancerbackup – cervical cancer - www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Cervix
Cancerbackup – vulval cancer – www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Vulva
Cancerbackup – womb cancer - www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Wombuterus