Q: My mother was diagnosed ovarian cancer and she is undergoing chemotherapy. She has completed 4 cycles of this treatment and the doctor says that she will have to undergo a few more. Her ovaries have shrunk, but the doctor says that there is no need for an operation and chemotherapy needs to be continued. Isn't it necessary to remove the ovaries since they are shrunk?

A:Radical surgery involving removal of both ovaries, uterus, omentum and lymph nodes etc. is an integral part of treatment of ovarian cancer. If surgery is not possible due to advanced disease at the time of presentation, then surgery is done after 2-3 cycles of chemotherapy if the tumour is judged resectable by clinical and radiological evaluation.