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Treatment for Ovarian Cancer



Treatments for ovarian cancer usually are a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

• Surgery: It usually involves an extensive operation. Both ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus, nearby lymph nodes and fatty abdominal tissue (momentum) are removed. The surgeon will also remove as much cancer as possible from the abdomen, a process known as surgical de-bulking.

Less extensive surgery may be performed if the cancer is detected at an early stage. Women with stage 1 cancer may have just one ovary and its fallopian tube removed in order to preserve their child-bearing ability.

• Chemotherapy: This is usually done after surgery with the help of drugs that will target the remaining cancer cells. This form of treatment may also be administered prior to surgery in advanced cases. The chemotherapy drugs may be administered either intravenously or injected directly into the abdominal cavity.
  

In intra-peritoneal chemotherapy, the drugs are administered directly into the abdomen and the pelvis via a thin tube. The drugs target cancer cells in these specific regions.

In systemic chemotherapy, the drugs are administered either intravenously or through the mouth and target cancer cells throughout the body.

• Radiation Therapy: Although rare, this form of therapy can be used as a local therapy along with surgery to destroy ovarian cancer in the pelvic area. It may also be used to target cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body.

Your physician will advise you as to the best course of treatment as well as the consequences the treatment will have on your daily activities.

Cancer treatments can damage healthy tissues and cells which can lead to several side effects. Side effects differ on a case by case basis and may also vary from one treatment session to another.  Ask your physician about possible side effects and ways to manage them prior to beginning treatment.

You may also consult your physician about taking part in new clinical trials that may be underway at that point in time.