Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Your doctor can describe your treatment choices and the expected results. Most women have surgery and chemotherapy. Rarely, radiation therapy is used.

Cancer treatment can affect cancer cells in the pelvis, in the abdomen, or throughout the body:

Local therapy: Surgery and radiation therapy are local therapies. They remove or destroy ovarian cancer in the pelvis. When ovarian cancer has spread to other parts of the body, local therapy may be used to control the disease in those specific areas.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can be given directly into the abdomen and pelvis through a thin tube. The drugs destroy or control cancer in the abdomen and pelvis.

Systemic chemotherapy: When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein, the drugs enter the bloodstream and destroy or control cancer throughout the body.

Because cancer treatments often damage healthy cells and tissues, side effects are common. Side effects depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Side effects may not be the same for each woman, and they may change from one treatment session to the next. Before treatment starts, your health care team will explain possible side effects and suggest ways to help you manage them.You may want to know how treatment may change your normal activities. You and your doctor can work together to develop a treatment plan that meets your medical and personal needs.

Useful Websites

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (USA) - http://www.ovariancancer.org/ 
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (USA) - http://www.ovarian.org/
Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (USA) - http://www.ocrf.org/
The Ovarian Cancer Institute (USA) - http://ovariancancerinstitute.org/
National Ovarian Cancer Association (Canada) - http://www.ovariancanada.org/
UK Ovarian Cancer Support Network (UK) - http://www.ovacome.org.uk/