[Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment management pathways, and quality control of ovarian cancer in county-level regions (2025 edition)].

Abstract

To establish diagnosis, treatment management pathways, and quality control guidelines tailored to county-level hospitals, standardize ovarian cancer care, improve treatment quality, and promote the equitable distribution of high-quality medical resources, the Expert Committee on Ovarian Cancer under the National Cancer Quality Control Center formulated the "Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment management pathways, and quality control of ovarian cancer in county-level regions (2025 edition)". This guideline integrates existing national standards for ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment with evidence-based medicine and clinical expertise. Structured as a pathway framework, this guideline addresses hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, diagnostic workflows, therapeutic approaches, and follow-up protocols for ovarian cancer in county-level settings, offering 13 specific recommendations. The guideline clarifies the roles of county-level hospitals in ovarian cancer management, including primary diagnosis and treatment, administration of antitumor therapies, maintenance therapy, adverse event management, recurrence monitoring, rehabilitation guidance, two-way referrals, and follow-up. For cases beyond local capacity, timely referral to higher-level hospitals or qualified county-level facilities is advised. County-level hospitals may perform surgery for early-stage ovarian cancer, but suspected advanced-stage cases should be promptly referred. The guideline emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in county-level hospitals and recommend that initial chemotherapy for newly diagnosed patients should be conducted at higher-level or adequately equipped county-level institutions. Follow-up evaluations may be performed locally, but suspected recurrence or metastasis requires referral to higher-level hospitals for assessment. Detailed pathways are provided for diagnosis, treatment (including surgery, chemotherapy, maintenance therapy, and recurrence management), and follow-up, with recommendations for incorporating online follow-up methods to enhance patient monitoring. By defining the roles of county-level hospitals, standardizing referral processes, and strengthening multidisciplinary coordination, the guideline aims to promote standardized ovarian cancer care. Its implementation is expected to improve county-level hospitals' diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, foster collaboration with higher-level institutions, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes and quality of life. These efforts will optimize medical resource allocation, elevate national ovarian cancer care standards, and advance balanced regional healthcare development.