Management of epithelial ovarian cancer

Most women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed when they already have advanced disease. Survival is dependent on the stage of cancer at initial presentation and treatment is not usually curative.

Remit and target users

This guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in screening and the role of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy; diagnosis; surgical management; chemotherapy; follow up; management of malignant bowel obstruction in relapsed disease and the provision of information to patients. Management of borderline tumours is not covered.

This guideline will be of interest to primary care staff, medical and clinical oncologists, gynaecologists, specialist nurses, community nurses, allied health professionals, geneticists, pathologists, specialists in laboratory medicine, pharmacists, radiologists, and palliative care specialists.

How this guideline was developed

This guideline was developed using a standard methodology based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details can be found in SIGN 50: A Guideline Developer’s Handbook.

Keeping up to date

This guideline was issued in 2013 and will be considered for review in three years. The review history, and any updates to the guideline in the interim period, will be noted in the review report.