Why Choose Us for Ovarian Cancer Treatment
At Huntsman Cancer Institute, our multidisciplinary Ovarian Cancer Care Team delivers comprehensive, personalized treatment backed by the latest research. Our experienced team of medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists work together to ensure you receive expert care tailored to your needs.
We also offer a full range of supportive services, including fertility preservation, sexual wellness, and survivorship care, providing compassionate support at every step.
鈥淚 can't imagine having that diagnosis and having to do it somewhere else."
Carine Clark
Ovarian cancer patient
Specialized Treatments
Our Ovarian Cancer Care Team specializes in personalized treatment plans. We work closely with each patient to decide which of the following treatments or combination of treatments is best for them:
- Surgery: We provide expertise in the removal of ovarian tumors and affected reproductive organs using the latest, minimally invasive surgical techniques, including robotic surgery.
- Chemotherapy: We deliver powerful drugs to kill cancer cells or stop their growth.
- Targeted Therapy: We offer advanced drugs that block specific genetic changes in cancer cells, improving patient outcomes and minimizing side effects.
- Immunotherapy: We harness the body鈥檚 immune system to fight cancer cells.
- Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC): We are nationally recognized for being one of the few hospitals in the country to offer this cutting-edge treatment that combines surgery and heated chemotherapy.
- Clinical Trials: We offer access to new treatments, often before they are available anywhere else.
Our team also includes dedicated pharmacists, social workers, and financial counselors who provide personalized support
Our Expertise
As the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, we are a leader in ovarian cancer treatment and research. We offer the most advanced treatments available, groundbreaking clinical trials, and unparalleled surgical expertise.
Our ovarian cancer specialists are nationally recognized experts who help shape treatment guidelines through the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, ensuring patients receive the highest level of care possible.
Patient Care Philosophy
We believe no one should face cancer alone. Our dedicated and world-renowned doctors, nurses, and medical staff are at the forefront of patient-centered care. We treat the whole person, not just their cancer.
Each day, our medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists work together across disciplines to create and coordinate treatment plans for every patient. We understand cancer is a complex disease. That is why we use a team approach that includes social workers and support groups, as well as wellness and integrative health services such as acupuncture, massage, creative arts, and more.
Find an Ovarian Cancer Doctor
Ovarian Cancer Research
Huntsman Cancer Institute is pioneering research focused on improving outcomes and quality of life for people with ovarian cancer. Our landmark studies have advanced our understanding of ovarian risk factors, guiding more personalized care. We are also leading efforts to reduce treatment-related side effects such as fatigue and chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
With the largest Phase 1 clinical trials program in the Mountain West, we offer access to promising new therapies not available elsewhere, including targeted treatments, immunotherapy, and cutting-edge antibody-based therapies.
Clinical Trials
Connect with , our virtual clinical research chatbot, to learn more about clinical trials.
Make an Appointment with an Ovarian Cancer Specialist
To make an appointment with an ovarian cancer specialist, fill out our appointment form or call 801-587-7000. Our team will determine if your insurance covers treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute or if you need a referral from a primary care doctor.
External providers can refer a patient using the online referral form or by calling 801-587-7000 to speak to a patient registration specialist.
Ovarian Cancer Basics
Ovarian cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells form in the ovaries. These are the main types of ovarian cancer:
Ovarian Epithelial Cancer
Occurs in epithelial cells that cover the outer surface of the ovaries. Primary peritoneal carcinomas and fallopian tube cancer are closely related and treated similarly to ovarian epithelial cancer.
Germ Cell Ovarian Cancer
Occurs in germ cells, which develop into eggs.
Stromal ovarian cancer
Occurs in the cells that make up connective tissue that holds the ovary together and produce hormones like estrogen.
These are signs of ovarian cancer:
- Pain, swelling, or pressure in the abdomen or pelvis
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
- Vaginal discharge that is clear, white, or colored with blood
- A lump in the pelvic area
- Gas, bloating, or constipation
Many other health problems can also cause these signs. If you have any of these signs, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean you are sure to get cancer. It means your chances are higher than the average person. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your cancer risk.
These are risk factors for ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer:
- Older age
- A personal history of ovarian cancer or other ovarian disease
- A family history of ovarian cancer in a mother, daughter, or sister
- Changes in certain genes
- Having endometriosis
Learn more about how to prevent cancer and your family history and genetic counseling.
Doctors use these tests to diagnose ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer:
Pelvic exam
A health care provider checks the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and rectum for signs of cancer.
Physical exam and history
A health care provider examines your body for signs of disease. Your personal health habits, past illnesses, and symptoms help guide the exam.
Laboratory tests
Through testing body tissues, blood, urine, or other substances in the body, your health care team can check to see how the organs are functioning. They can also look for substances that cells produce when cancer is present.
Imaging tests
Using ultrasound, X-rays, magnets (MRI), and/or computed tomography (CT or CAT scan), your health care provider can create detailed images of internal organs. Your health care provider may inject or have you swallow a dye to help see the images.
Biopsy
The health care provider removes cell or tissue samples so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
Staging is the process that shows whether cancer has spread within or around the ovaries or to other parts of the body. Cancer spreads in the body in three ways: through tissue, the lymph system, or the blood.
These are the stages used for ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer:
- Stage 1 (1A, 1B, 1C)鈥擳he cancer is found in one or both of the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
- Stage 2 (2A, 2B)鈥擟ancer has spread from where it first formed into organs within the pelvis.
- Stage 3 (3A, 3B, 3C)鈥擟ancer has spread outside the pelvis to other parts of the abdomen and/or to nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage 4 (4A, 4B)鈥擟ancer has spread beyond the abdomen to other parts of the body such as the lungs.
When cancer spreads from where it started to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. These metastatic cancer cells are the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if ovarian cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bone are actually ovarian cancer cells. The disease is metastatic ovarian cancer, not bone cancer.
