Ovarian Cancer Treatments – Targeted Drug Therapy
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Targeted Drug Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
In addition to chemotherapy, the ovarian cancer team at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) uses a variety of targeted drugs for ovarian cancer treatment. Targeted drug therapies block the growth and spread of cancer by preventing cancer cells from dividing or destroying them directly.
Unlike chemotherapy, which affects all cells in the body, targeted drugs block or kill cancer cells and spare more healthy cells, reducing side effects and improving your quality of life.
Targeted drugs used at CTCA for the treatment of some ovarian cancers are Avastin® (bevacizumab) in combination with standard Paraplatin® (carboplatin), and Taxol® (paclitaxel) chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of ovarian cancer.
The targeted drug therapy is given intravenously and targets a protein that fuels the production of new blood vessels in tumor cells. One of the ways that cancer cells grow and spread is by creating new blood vessels, called angiogenesis. Patients who have this cancer mechanism are more likely to respond to this type of treatment.
Targeted cancer therapies may be used alone, in combination with other targeted therapies, and/or with other ovarian cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, surgical oncology and hormone therapy.
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