For many years, ovarian cancer was known as the “silent killer,” often undiagnosed until after the disease had progressed to an advanced stage. Symptoms went undetected or were confused for menstrual or gastrointestinal issues. And it’s all too common for ovarian cancer to come back after the patient has undergone treatment, particularly in more advanced stages.
“For most patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer, recurrences are, unfortunately, part of the natural history of the disease,” said Shobhana Talukdar, M.D., a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology. “In more than 7 of 10 people with ovarian cancer, the cancer can recur after initial treatment.”