Cancer research scientists are now using a method combining old techniques such as chemotherapy and surgery to combat ovarian cancer, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The researchers said that this strategy could have dramatic impact against the disease. Here are a few keypoints, courtesy of the Journal.

Ovarian Cancer, a Lethal Disease

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth among the most lethal cancer diseases among women and in the U.S. alone. More than 21,000 women could receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis from their doctors this year based on research date from the American Cancer Society. 

According to Cancer.org, ovarian cancer accounts for just 3% of cancers found in women, but the disease "causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system."

New Approach, Old Techniques

A new approach gives hope to women all over the world and it actually did not come from a novel drug or recently discovered technology.

The standard treatment implemented for decades upon diagnosis was surgery, followed by chemotherapy. However, for some, they would get chemotherapy first if other parts outside the abdomen are affected with cancer. 

The Key Principle : R-Zero resection 

The removal of all visible cancer -- an R-zero resection -- can help fight cancer according to studies. This is the same idea behind old techniques. In essence, removal of visible affected tissues with cancer should be done for better results.

"Today there is more and more data that says unless you get to the R-zero resection, the marginal benefit of the surgery really tapers off," Scott McMeekin, University of Oklahoma's Stephenson Cancer Center's chief of gynecologic oncology said.

The Methodology

The protocol called Anderson algorithm uses a scoring system developed by Anna Fagotti and her colleagues at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. A laparoscope is inserted into a small incision in the abdominal region to directly determine the extent of the disease.

The doctor will score it on a scale of 0 to 14 -- with 0 the least grave and 14 the most severe. For patients with a score below 8, surgery is recommended, while chemotherapy should be done first for patients with a score of 8 and above.

Impressive Outcome Using the New Approach

Doctors at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston have succesfully removed "all visible disease in 86% of treated women over the past two years," using this new approach. This outcome is reportedly more than four times the 20% success rate the doctors got before implementing the new procedure.

Powerful Information

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie-Pitt, who lost her mother to ovarian cancer, underwent surgical removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes. In an op-ed for The New York Times, she shared: "It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power."