Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is when ovarian cancer spreads to the tissue lining your abdomen and abdominal organs. It’s a common site of spread for ovarian cancer.

After uterine cancer, ovarian cancer is the second most common type of cancer of the female reproductive system. Many ovarian cancers are diagnosed after they’ve already spread to distant tissues (metastasized).

Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is associated with advanced ovarian cancer. Treatment usually involves surgery and chemotherapy.

This article reviews this type of ovarian cancer in more detail, including its symptoms, treatment, and outlook.

Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is when ovarian cancer has spread to the peritoneum. The peritoneum is the tissue that lines the walls of your abdomen as well as your abdominal organs.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the peritoneum is one of the most common areas for ovarian cancer to spread to.

Researchers estimate that spread to the peritoneum is found in 70% of people with advanced ovarian cancer. This is ovarian cancer that’s stage 3 or 4 at the time it’s diagnosed.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis happens when cancer cells come off of the main tumor on the ovary. These cells then travel through the fluid in the abdomen and can eventually settle and begin to grow on the peritoneum.

About 70% of people with peritoneal carcinomatosis have ascites, which is a buildup of fluid in your abdomen. It causes abdominal bloating and swelling.

Plus, people with peritoneal carcinomatosis can also have other symptoms of advanced ovarian cancer, such as:

The typical treatment for people with advanced ovarian cancer is a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

The type of surgery that doctors consider is called cytoreductive surgery (CRS). Surgeons perform CRS to remove as much of the cancer as possible.

The goal of CRS is to achieve complete cytoreduction, which is when there’s no visible cancer or no tumors larger than 1 centimeter (less than half an inch).

Depending on the extent of your cancer, CRS can involve the removal of:

Doctors typically recommend chemotherapy after surgery. This often involves a combination of a platinum-based chemo drug like carboplatin and a taxane like paclitaxel.

Another type of treatment that doctors may give after surgery is called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). In HIPEC, surgeons pump heated chemo drugs directly into your abdominal cavity.

Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is associated with advanced ovarian cancer and, as such, has a less favorable outlook. The 5-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer that’s spread distantly is 31.4%, as per data from 2014 to 2020.

A 2020 review notes that a big factor for outlook is whether or not there’s complete cytoreduction. It cites an older study that found that complete cytoreduction is achieved in about one-third of situations.

Other factors that can affect the outlook of people who have ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis include:

  • the specific type of ovarian cancer they have
  • the extent of the cancer and how aggressive it is
  • which tissues, in addition to the peritoneum, are affected
  • their age and overall health

How likely is recurrence from ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis?

According to a 2022 review, most people with advanced ovarian cancer reach remission after treatment with CRS and chemo. However, the cancer may return in about 70% to 80% of people. The peritoneum is a common site of recurrence.

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Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is when ovarian cancer spreads into the peritoneum. The peritoneum is the tissue lining your abdomen and abdominal organs. It’s associated with advanced ovarian cancer.

The treatment for ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis is typically surgery and chemo. The outlook can largely depend on how effectively the cancer was removed.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific, making it difficult to diagnose before it has spread. It’s important to see your doctor for new or persistent symptoms like bloating, pain, and feeling full shortly after eating.