Treatment for Ovarian Cancer

Treatment for Ovarian Cancer

When you first get a diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer, your first question might be, "So what do I do to get rid of it?" There are several different types of treatment for ovarian cancer-- your doctor will recommend one or several, depending on several different factors, including: the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, the patient’s preferences and overall health, and personal considerations, such as the woman's age and if she is planning to have children. Sometimes, multiple treatments will be used in combination, namely chemotherapy and surgery. Before starting any treatment, it is important to know about side effects, effect on reproductive ability, pain management, and other issues.

Surgery: This is one of the most common treatments for ovarian cancer. The extent of the surgery will depend on the type of cancer, and how far it has spread. Depending on these factors, the surgeon may perform one of several types of hysterectomy. To the right,  you can see that different organs are removed in different situations. The lymph nodes or omentum may also be removed.

Chemotherapy:  Chemo for ovarian cancer is most often a combination of 2 or more drugs, given IV every 3- to 4-weeks. Giving combinations of drugs rather than just one drug alone seems to be more effective in the initial treatment of ovarian cancer. The typical course of chemo for epithelial ovarian cancer involves 3 to 6 cycles. A cycle is a schedule of regular doses of a drug, followed by a rest period. Different drugs have varying cycles; your doctor will let you know what schedule planned for your chemo.


Here you can see how intraperitoneal chemotherapy is administered. Administering chemo directly into the pelvic area ensures that the most concentrated chemo meds come into direct contact with the infected organs (the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, etc). While this type of chemo works very well, the side effects are more severe than that of chemo administered through a different IV site). 

 Hormone Treatment: There are several different types of hormone treatments for ovarian cancer.

1. Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists

2. Tamoxifen

3. Aromatase Inhibitors

Common side effects of these hormones include hot flashes, joint pain, bone loss, and osteoporosis. 

For more information on ovarian cancer treatments, research the American Cancer Society's ovarian cancer section, as well as the American Coalition for Ovarian Cancer. 

Photos from Medline Plus.