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Study: Cancer Treatment Is Working, But Eligible Patients Aren't Receiving It

By Dr. Brian McDonough

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It's estimated that close to 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. The majority won't be discovered until the later stages when treatment is less effective and the cancer can spread.

However, there are some steps that can be taken to help patients whose cancer is diagnosed in time. An example is a technique that they used at Ohio State University. After undergoing surgery to remove tumors, women received a dual dose of chemo -- one in the arm, followed by one in the abdomen.

The three-year survival rate jumped from 71% to 81% in the women undergoing the test.

However, when researchers looked at six of the largest academic medical centers in the country, they found only 41% of women who were eligible for the treatment were getting it.

One of the key points in the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is the need to standardize the treatment.

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