Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is the Omentum?Features of CancerRole in TreatmentOther ConditionsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is the Omentum?
Features of Cancer
Role in Treatment
Other Conditions
Frequently Asked Questions
Over half ofovarian cancercases are diagnosed when it hasmetastasized(spread to distant organs).One of the structures it may spread to is theomentum, a layer of fatty tissue that hangs off the middle of yourcolonand drapes over the intestines inside the abdomen. When this occurs, it is referred to as ovarian cancer metastatic to the omentum.
Cancer may also originate in the omentum, where it is referred to as primary omentum cancer. Even so, this type of cancer is exceptionally rare, and most cases involving the omentum are metastatic.
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The omentum is a two-layered structure that covers and surrounds the organs of the abdominal cavity like a parachute. Its consistency is somewhere between that of lumpy linen and gelatin.
The omentum is broken down into two parts, which in adults are mostly fused together:
Features of Ovarian Cancer Metastatic to the Omentum
Symptoms
The reason that ovarian cancer is frequently diagnosed in the later stages is that there are often few signs or symptoms in the early stages. If the omentum is affected, there may be few, if any, notable symptoms.
Even when symptoms do eventually appear, they are often non-specific and may include:
Diagnosis and Treatment
When ovarian cancer is diagnosed, imaging tests such as amagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)scan orcomputed tomography (CT)scan are ordered to check for signs of metastasis in the omentum and other organs.
The treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer—also known as stage 4 ovarian cancer—typically involves “debulking” surgery andchemotherapy(and possiblytargeted drugs).
Debulking surgery, also known as cytoreductive surgery, is a mainstay of ovarian cancer treatment and aims to remove as much tissue that can harbor cancer cells as possible.
Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Life ExpectancyAccording to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate for stage 4 ovarian cancer is 30.8%. This means that roughly three out of 10 people with metastatic ovarian cancer will live for at least five years. Some people live longer.
Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Life Expectancy
According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate for stage 4 ovarian cancer is 30.8%. This means that roughly three out of 10 people with metastatic ovarian cancer will live for at least five years. Some people live longer.
The Role of the Omentum in Ovarian Cancer Treatment
The omentum is a critical focus of cancer treatment, in part because it acts as something of a stopgap between the ovaries and the stomach and abdominal organs.
An omentectomy may also be performed as a preventive measure to reduce the odds of cancer spreading from the ovaries to the stomach and other organs.
This is not to suggest that an omentectomy is an easy operation. It is a tedious and time-consuming surgery that takes great precision as small clusters of cancer cells can be interspersed throughout the fatty tissues.
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Other Conditions Affecting the Omentum
Several other conditions can affect the structure and function of the omentum,
When there is excessive storage of fat in the omentum, people develop an apple-shaped body form known asabdominal obesity.Abdominal fat is one of the risk factors formetabolic syndromewhich, in turn, increases the risk of heart disease.
The omentum can also developabdominal adhesions(in which internal scars cause tissues to stick together) due to abdominal surgery, infections, or inflammatory conditions. This can trigger chronic pain and increase the risk of infertility in females. It can also sometimes cause a bowel obstruction that requires emergency surgery.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPrimary omentum cancer (in which disease originates in the omentum) is exceptionally rare. Some studies suggest that as few as 42 cases have been identified in the medical literature.Rubraca (rucaparib) belongs to a relatively new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors. It approved as a third-line treatment of ovarian cancer. Rubraca can extend disease-free survival in people with certain genetic types of ovarian cancer.
Primary omentum cancer (in which disease originates in the omentum) is exceptionally rare. Some studies suggest that as few as 42 cases have been identified in the medical literature.
Rubraca (rucaparib) belongs to a relatively new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors. It approved as a third-line treatment of ovarian cancer. Rubraca can extend disease-free survival in people with certain genetic types of ovarian cancer.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: ovarian cancer.Liebermann-meffert D.The greater omentum. Anatomy, embryology, and surgical applications.Surg Clin North Am. 2000;80(1):275-93, xii. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(05)70406-0Koppe MJ, Nagtegaal ID, de Wilt JH, Ceelen WP.Recent insights into the pathophysiology of omental metastases.J Surg Oncol.2014 Nov;110(6):670-5. doi:10.1002/jso.23681Doubeni CA, Doubeni ARB, Meyeres AE.Diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer.Am Fam Physician.2016;93(11):937-44Mehta SS, Bhatt A, Glehen O.Cytoreductive Surgery and Peritonectomy Procedures.Indian J Surg Oncol. 2016;7(2):139–151. doi:10.1007/s13193-016-0505-5Chkourko Gusky H, Diedrich J, MacDougald OA, Podgorski I.Omentum and bone marrow: how adipocyte-rich organs create tumour microenvironments conducive for metastatic progression.Obes Rev. 2016;17(11):1015–1029. doi:10.1111/obr.12450Meza-Perez S, Randall TD. Immunological functions of the omentum.Trends Immunol.2017 Jul;38(7):526-36. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.03.002MedlinePlus.Rucaparib.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: ovarian cancer.Liebermann-meffert D.The greater omentum. Anatomy, embryology, and surgical applications.Surg Clin North Am. 2000;80(1):275-93, xii. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(05)70406-0Koppe MJ, Nagtegaal ID, de Wilt JH, Ceelen WP.Recent insights into the pathophysiology of omental metastases.J Surg Oncol.2014 Nov;110(6):670-5. doi:10.1002/jso.23681Doubeni CA, Doubeni ARB, Meyeres AE.Diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer.Am Fam Physician.2016;93(11):937-44Mehta SS, Bhatt A, Glehen O.Cytoreductive Surgery and Peritonectomy Procedures.Indian J Surg Oncol. 2016;7(2):139–151. doi:10.1007/s13193-016-0505-5Chkourko Gusky H, Diedrich J, MacDougald OA, Podgorski I.Omentum and bone marrow: how adipocyte-rich organs create tumour microenvironments conducive for metastatic progression.Obes Rev. 2016;17(11):1015–1029. doi:10.1111/obr.12450Meza-Perez S, Randall TD. Immunological functions of the omentum.Trends Immunol.2017 Jul;38(7):526-36. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.03.002MedlinePlus.Rucaparib.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: ovarian cancer.Liebermann-meffert D.The greater omentum. Anatomy, embryology, and surgical applications.Surg Clin North Am. 2000;80(1):275-93, xii. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(05)70406-0Koppe MJ, Nagtegaal ID, de Wilt JH, Ceelen WP.Recent insights into the pathophysiology of omental metastases.J Surg Oncol.2014 Nov;110(6):670-5. doi:10.1002/jso.23681Doubeni CA, Doubeni ARB, Meyeres AE.Diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer.Am Fam Physician.2016;93(11):937-44Mehta SS, Bhatt A, Glehen O.Cytoreductive Surgery and Peritonectomy Procedures.Indian J Surg Oncol. 2016;7(2):139–151. doi:10.1007/s13193-016-0505-5Chkourko Gusky H, Diedrich J, MacDougald OA, Podgorski I.Omentum and bone marrow: how adipocyte-rich organs create tumour microenvironments conducive for metastatic progression.Obes Rev. 2016;17(11):1015–1029. doi:10.1111/obr.12450Meza-Perez S, Randall TD. Immunological functions of the omentum.Trends Immunol.2017 Jul;38(7):526-36. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.03.002MedlinePlus.Rucaparib.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: ovarian cancer.
Liebermann-meffert D.The greater omentum. Anatomy, embryology, and surgical applications.Surg Clin North Am. 2000;80(1):275-93, xii. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(05)70406-0
Koppe MJ, Nagtegaal ID, de Wilt JH, Ceelen WP.Recent insights into the pathophysiology of omental metastases.J Surg Oncol.2014 Nov;110(6):670-5. doi:10.1002/jso.23681
Doubeni CA, Doubeni ARB, Meyeres AE.Diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer.Am Fam Physician.2016;93(11):937-44
Mehta SS, Bhatt A, Glehen O.Cytoreductive Surgery and Peritonectomy Procedures.Indian J Surg Oncol. 2016;7(2):139–151. doi:10.1007/s13193-016-0505-5
Chkourko Gusky H, Diedrich J, MacDougald OA, Podgorski I.Omentum and bone marrow: how adipocyte-rich organs create tumour microenvironments conducive for metastatic progression.Obes Rev. 2016;17(11):1015–1029. doi:10.1111/obr.12450
Meza-Perez S, Randall TD. Immunological functions of the omentum.Trends Immunol.2017 Jul;38(7):526-36. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.03.002
MedlinePlus.Rucaparib.
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