• Around 3,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year
• Robotic surgery has become one of the leading tools in the surgical treatment of early-stage ovarian cancer
Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja is highlighting the advances that robotic surgery is bringing to the treatment of ovarian cancer, particularly in patients diagnosed at an early stage.
Each year, around 3,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Spain. Although it is less common than other gynaecological cancers, it remains one of the deadliest. The main reason is that, in most cases, it is detected at an advanced stage, when treatment options are more complex and the prognosis is poorer.
“The main difficulty with ovarian cancer is that it is often diagnosed late because its symptoms are very non-specific and can easily be mistaken for other digestive or hormonal conditions,” explains Dr Rodolfo Martín Díaz, Head of the Gynaecology Department and specialist in robotic gynaecological surgery at Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja.
The most common symptoms include abdominal bloating, pelvic pain, early satiety, and digestive or urinary changes. “Many patients normalise these symptoms or associate them with gastrointestinal disorders, which delays medical consultation and, consequently, diagnosis,” adds the specialist.
The diagnostic process usually begins with a transvaginal ultrasound scan and blood tests for tumour markers such as CA-125. If cancer is suspected, further imaging tests, such as CT scans, may be required, although definitive confirmation is obtained through histological analysis of tissue removed during surgery.
In addition to age, as the risk increases after the age of 50, other factors associated with the development of this tumour include a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations, endometriosis, and certain long-term hormone treatments.
Greater surgical precision and faster recovery
In recent years, robotic surgery has become one of the leading approaches in the surgical treatment of early-stage ovarian cancer. Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja has extensive experience using the Da Vinci robotic system, a technology that enables highly complex procedures to be performed with greater precision and less surgical trauma.
“Robotic surgery represents an evolution of traditional laparoscopy. It allows us to work with three-dimensional vision, millimetric precision and a far greater range of movement,” says Dr Díaz.
This technique is particularly recommended for patients with stage I and II localised tumours, or for selected women undergoing cytoreductive procedures. “Pre-operative assessment is essential in determining which patients may benefit from this minimally invasive approach,” the specialist explains.
The main advantages of robotic surgery include reduced intraoperative bleeding, fewer post-operative complications, smaller incisions and faster recovery following surgery. “In many cases, patients are discharged from hospital within just two or three days and are able to return to their normal activities sooner,” explains Dr Díaz.
In younger women, this type of surgery may also help preserve fertility in selected cases, as it is less aggressive on the reproductive organs.
More information about oncological robotics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyjnz-uMoG8
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