The survival rate of women with ovarian cancer is improved when surgery is performed by a gynecologic oncologist rather than by a general gynecologist, according to the findings of a new study reported by Reuters. The results also indicate that gynecologic cancer specialists (oncologist) are more likely to follow surgical guidelines for cancer surgery and are more likely to completely remove the tumor. The findings are based on a study of 512 women from the Netherlands who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer between 1994 and 1997. The subjects included 184 whose surgery was performed by a gynecologic oncologist and 328 who were operated on by a general gynecologist. The five-year survival rate was higher for patients treated by a gynecologic oncologist, senior author Dr. Ate G. J. van der Zee, from the University Medical Center Groningen, and colleagues note. In patients treated by gynecologic oncologists, 5-year survival rates for less advanced cancers was 86 percent and for more advanced cancers was 21 percent. The corresponding rates for patients treated by general gynecologists were significantly lower, at 70 percent and 13 percent. --more 21 41 Local Time 18 41 GMT
