Personalized Surgical Approach for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Anil Sood
Anil Sood
Sep 4, 2018 · 2 min read

A member of the faculty at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for more than 15 years, Dr. Anil Sood has directed the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program since 2011. Dr. Anil Sood leads as co-director of the Ovarian Cancer Moon Shot Program, which has focused on a personalized surgical approach for advanced ovarian cancer.

The Ovarian Cancer Moon Shots program focuses on developing new ways to diagnose and treat high-grade and low-grade serous ovarian cancer. A significant element of the program’s work relates to the achievement of R0 resection, or the full removal of all visible tumor tissue. The laparoscopic scoring system, initially developed by Dr. Fagotti, supports this effort by enabling surgeons and oncologists to better personalize a treatment plan.

The standard treatment protocol for serous ovarian cancer is surgery and chemotherapy, but physicians have historically lacked clear information to indicate which should precede the other. The laparoscopic scoring system offers a framework to guide physicians through the decision, beginning with a laparoscopic examination to predict whether the cancer is resectable using surgery first. Laparoscopy is specifically recommended because the extent of ovarian cancer can be difficult to fully assess by computed topography imaging.

Physicians assign a score to the findings from this exam, using an index developed at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. The algorithm at MD Anderson initially required two surgeons to present a score and a third to offer his or her score if the first two disagree. However, thus far, the initial two surgeons have agreed in 98 percent of cases.

According to the algorithm, patients with a score below 8 received surgery before chemotherapy. Those with scores of 8 or above received three or more rounds of chemotherapy before surgery. Thus far, resection rates for patients who receive chemotherapy first have risen from 60 percent to 80 percent, while rates for those who receive surgery first have increased to 88 percent.

Anil Sood

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Anil Sood

Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Anil Sood has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to the field.