Debulking is the reduction of as much of the bulk, or volume, of a tumor as possible without the intention of complete eradication, usually achieved by surgical removal. When performed with curative intent, the different procedure is instead called cytoreduction or cytoreductive surgery, since debulking with curative intent is generally not a worthwhile intervention except in some cancer types. Ovarian cancer and some types of brain tumor are debulked before radiotherapy or chemotherapy begin, making those therapies more effective, and debulking may also be used with slow-growing tumors to shift tumor cells from a resting phase of the cell cycle into the replicative pool.
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Debulking
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Why is debulking used for ovarian cancer and what is interval surgery?
It leaves less cancer for chemotherapy to treat. Interval surgery is debulking placed between rounds of chemotherapy.
In ovarian cancer the aim of this kind of operation, which Cancer Research UK also calls cytoreductive surgery, is to remove as much of the cancer as possible when it has spread to other areas of the pelvis or abdomen. It may be offered when the cancer is stage 2, 3 or 4. The reason is that the less cancer there is after surgery, the easier it is for chemotherapy to kill the remaining cancer cells. When chemotherapy is given into a vein both before and after the operation, the surgery is called interval cytoreductive surgery.
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Source Debulking (Wikipedia)
Source Debulking (Wikipedia)
Source Debulking (Wikipedia)
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Debulking (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debulking, lead section
Debulking is the reduction of as much of the bulk (volume) of a tumour without the intention of a complete eradication.
Treats: Cancer, Lead: treats Cancer
In other types of cancer where debulking is not curative, it is sometimes done with palliative intent to relieve mass effect.
Treats: Ovarian Cancer, Lead: treats Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer and some types of brain tumor are debulked before radiotherapy or chemotherapy begin, making those therapies more effective.
Treats: Brain Tumor, Lead: treats Brain Tumor
Ovarian cancer and some types of brain tumor are debulked before radiotherapy or chemotherapy begin, making those therapies more effective.
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