Most ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed in an advanced stage; and after the initial treatment experience disease recurrence, which eventually becomes palliative. Many questions arise in this setting including how to address patients in the palliative setting, how to discuss end-of-life issues, and how to manage symptoms. In this review, we discuss the timing and setting of end-of-life discussion in the context of end-stage ovarian cancer. We review the approach to relieving disease burden by improving and decreasing symptoms. These symptoms include recurrent ascites, bowel obstruction, pain, pulmonary effusion, and deep vein thrombosis.
Keywords: Ascites; Bowel obstruction; Ovarian cancer; Pain; Palliative.