Stage IV Papillary Carcinoma of the Ovary
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Papillary Carcinoma
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Papillary carcinoma of the ovary is essentially a form of transitional cell carcinoma, which is similar to ovarian epithelial cancer. Often referred to as extra-ovarian primary peritoneal carcinoma, or simply EOPPC, this relatively rare type of cancer looks like the abnormal cells have originated along the outer layer of the ovary and spread into the lining of pelvis or abdomen, but that isn't the case. With papillary carcinoma, the cancer actually originates within the lining of your pelvis and spreads into the ovaries as well as other regions of the body.
With stage IV papillary carcinoma, you're dealing with a much more advanced stage of the disease. However, EOPPC is ultimately more of a problem for women who no longer have their ovaries, due to the preventative measures of your standard ovarian cancer treatment.
Symptoms
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When you develop papillary carcinoma of the ovaries, you'll typically begin to experience some level of pain or cramping in the abdomen. This is often accompanied by nausea, indigestion or vomiting as well as abdominal distention and a change in the consistency and frequency of your bowel movements.
These hallmark symptoms are largely due to the location of the cancer, as abnormal cells are frequently found along the lining of your abdominal cavity, which usually protects those organs housed in this region of your body. The malignancy and rate of metastasis can affect the overall function of your digestive tract, manifesting the common symptoms of the condition.
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Treatment
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Though the cancerous tissue may not have originated within the ovaries, treatment usually follows the same line of defense as ovarian epithelial cancer. Most of the time, the approach to care begins with a "debulking" surgery, where as much of the diseased tissue is removed from the body. This is then followed with a course of chemotherapy, which employs the use of "anticancer" drugs to control and kill any remaining cancer cells left after the surgical procedure.
Chemotherapy drugs may first be administered directly into your abdominal cavity. If the cancer has spread to more distant regions of the body, you may also receive a "systematic" form of treatment. With this approach to care, chemo drugs are given orally or intravenously to penetrate your bloodstream so that the chemicals may better reach other areas of the body containing cancerous tissue. From there, you may be eligible for a clinical trial, based on the severity of the disease.
Clinical trials typically include new combinations of cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and biological therapy. You may even be given certain antibodies that actually target the type of cancer you're dealing with.
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