Ovarian Cancer

Adjuvant (treatment)	Additional treatment given after the primary treatment to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back; usually refers to radiotherapy and/or systemic therapy after surgery
Anastomotic leak	A leak of contents from a surgical join, following a procedure to connect healthy sections of tubular structures in the body after the diseased portion has been surgically removed
Bevacizumab	A type of targeted therapy used to treat some cancers. It is a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor and prevents the cancer cells from developing their own blood supply, thus helping to slow down tumour growth
Bowel perforation	A hole in the wall of part of the gastrointestinal tract
BRCA	Genes which, when mutated (not functioning properly), is associated with a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer
Carboplatin	A type of chemotherapy that is administered through a drip into a vein in your arm or chest
Cardiovascular	Relating to the circulatory system. Includes the heart and blood vessels
Chemotherapy	A type of cancer treatment using medicine that kills the cancer cells by damaging them, so that they cannot reproduce and spread
Clear-cell	A subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer
Clinical trial	A study that compares the effects of one treatment with another
Coronavirus	A group of viruses that cause disease in mammals and birds but may also affect humans
COVID-19	A disease caused by a type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2
Diverting colostomy	A surgical procedure that brings one end of the large intestine out through the abdominal wall to create a stoma, an opening in the skin where a pouch for collecting faeces is attached
Endocrine therapy	A type of anticancer therapy that reduces the supply of hormones to hormone receptor-dependent cancers
Endometrioid	A subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer
Expansile	Capable of expanding
First-line (treatment)	The initial treatment given to a patient
Gastrointestinal system	The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the body and for making use of food to keep the body healthy – includes the oesophagus, stomach and intestines
Gene	Genes are pieces of DNA responsible for making substances that your body needs to function
Growth factor	A type of drug used to increase the production of white blood cells in order to reduce the risk of infection
Immunosuppressive drugs	Types of drugs that suppress or reduce the strength of the body's immune system
Immunotherapy	A type of cancer treatment that stimulates the body’s immune system to fight the cancer
Infiltrative (cancer)	A cancer that has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it developed and is growing into surrounding, healthy tissues
Intestinal obstruction	A partial or complete block of the small or large intestine that keeps food, liquid, gas and stool from moving through the intestines in a normal way
Invasive (cancer)	A cancer that has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it developed and is growing into surrounding, healthy tissues
Immune system	The organs and processes of the body that help to prevent and fight off infections
Maintenance (treatment)	Treatment given after the initial cycles of chemotherapy with the aim of keeping the cancer under control
Metastatic	A cancer that has spread from its site of origin to different parts of the body
Mucinous	A subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer
Multidisciplinary team	A group of healthcare workers who are members of different disciplines (e.g. oncologist, nurse specialist, physiotherapist, radiologist) and provide specific services to the patient. The activities of the team are brought together using a care plan
Mutation	A permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene, such that the sequence differs from what is found in most people and alters the function of the related protein
Neoadjuvant (therapy)	Treatment given as a first step to shrink a tumour before the main treatment, which is usually surgery
Paclitaxel	A type of chemotherapy that is administered through a drip into a vein in your arm or chest
Peritonitis	Inflammation of the peritoneum, the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen
Perforation	A hole
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)	An enzyme involved in repairing DNA
Prophylactic	A drug that is given to prevent disease
Radiotherapy	Treatment involving the use of high-energy radiation, which is commonly used to treat cancer
Respiratory	Relating to the organs responsible for taking in oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the body. Includes the lungs and trachea
Serous	The most common subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer
Systemic (therapy)	Drugs that spread throughout the body to treat cancer cells wherever they may be. They include chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy
Targeted therapy	A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to precisely identify and attack cancer cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells
Tumour	A lump or growth of abnormal cells. Tumours may be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). In this guide, the term ‘tumour’ refers to a cancerous growth, unless otherwise stated
Venting percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy [PEG] tube	A tube that is passed into a patient's stomach through the abdominal wall in cases of a bowel obstruction to prevent and manage nausea and vomiting

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