Stage III or IV ovarian cancer is usually treated with some combination of surgery and chemotherapy. The doctor may perform surgery to remove the primary tumor, the uterus, the ovaries, and part of the omentum, the tissue that surrounds the abdominal organs. This is often referred to as 'debulking' surgery, because the doctor cannot completely remove advanced stage cancer. The doctor may follow surgery with chemotherapy. If the remaining tumor is large, the doctor may follow chemotherapy treatment with another surgery to determine whether the tumor has shrunk. Radiation is usually not given to patients with late stage disease.
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