Ovarian Cancer Management: the role of imaging and diagnostic challenges

Worldwide, ovarian cancer accounts for 4% of all female cancers with over 190,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The incidence rates vary considerably across the globe with the highest rates seen in Europe and the USA and low rates in Africa and Asia. Ovarian cancer has been termed a 'silent' killer with the majority of patients presenting with advanced disease due to the vague, non-specific nature of the presenting symptoms such as abdominal discomfort and bloating in 50%. The most important determinant of survival for ovarian cancer patients is the disease stage at diagnosis. Therefore there is a thrust for early detection and two large screening trials are currently underway in the UK and USA. Ovarian cancer is most commonly staged using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) surgical-pathological staging system. Imaging findings are not a formal component of the staging system but in clinical practice they play a significant role in the diagnosis and management of suspected ovarian cancer. Adnexal masses which are shown to have benign features on imaging can undergo simple excision at a local unit by a non-oncological gynaecologist. If a mass has malignant characteristics on imaging, then a radical surgical approach is indicated and this should be performed by a gynaecological oncological surgeon at a specialist cancer centre, as optimal cytoreductive surgery has been reported to improve outcome. This review article discusses the role of various imaging modalities in the initial assessment of an adnexal mass, the contribution to management planning and to the follow-up of patients with ovarian cancer.