Ovarian cancer treatment

Treatment for ovarian cancer typically depends on many factors, including the cancer type and stage, the potential side effects, the woman’s age and whether she’s planning to have children. Surgery is often the first treatment recommended for ovarian cancer, and may involve the removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, uterus, lymph nodes in the area, and surrounding organs and tissue including omentum and appendix. Chemotherapy is usually recommended after surgery for epithelial type ovarian cancers.

Cancer treatments generally fall into two categories.

• Local treatments: If the cancer is found in a localized spot and hasn’t spread to other areas of the body, it’s usually treated with surgery. Treatment with chemotherapy may depend on the final pathology results.
• Systemic treatments: If the cancer has spread past its original location, systemic therapies are often recommended combined with debulking surgery

Common treatments for ovarian cancer

Surgery

There are many types of surgical procedures that may be used, depending on the cancer’s stage and original location. These include:

• Unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the removal of one or both ovary(ies) and fallopian tube(s)
• Omentectomy, a fatty apron overlying the intestines where these cancer cells like to spread
• Hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus and cervix, a common procedure to stage ovarian cancer that may also include:
  • Debulking or removal of the lymph node
  • Removal of appendix and/or other parts of the bowel

For patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, a treatment options are individualized and may include surgery followed by chemotherapy, or chemotherapy on its own.

Learn more about surgery for ovarian cancer

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cancer cells or prevent their growth. This treatment may be used to shrink large tumors and make surgery easier to perform, or to treat any cancer cells that remain following tumor removal. They’re administered orally, intravenously or directly into the abdomen by catheter, known as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

Targeted therapy

PARP inhibitors are a form of targeted therapy used to treat ovarian cancer. Designed to block the enzyme named poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) from identifying damaged DNA inside cancer cells, PARP inhibitors may stop cancer cells from repairing themselves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved certain PARP inhibitor drugs to treat ovarian cancer.

Other treatments for ovarian cancer

There are other ovarian cancer treatments that aren’t as common but still may be used in specific situations.

Radiation therapy

This treatment targets cancer cells in order to kill them or keep them from growing. Radiation therapy may be recommended in rare cases of ovarian cancers where the tumor is isolated to an area and can be targeted with the radiation beam when there are otherwise limited treatment options for the patient.

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is designed to deprive ovarian tumor cells of the hormones they need to grow, including estrogen. Hormone therapy for ovarian cancer may be used subsequent to chemotherapy and other therapies. A common regimen of hormone therapy for ovarian cancer patients involves a class of drugs to lower estrogen levels in the body. This type of treatment is more commonly used in rare ovarian stromal tumors.

Clinical trials

Cancer research is ongoing, with many ongoing clinical trials for ovarian cancer therapies. Patients should ask their doctors about the most recent studies and the potential benefits and risks. At CTCA, we have several ongoing trials available to offer a range of treatment options for our patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Fertility preservation

Ovarian egg preservation or ovarian tissue preservation involves freezing ovarian tissue before cancer treatment so women may be able to have children later. Fertility preservation is a common concern for young women diagnosed with cancer, particularly those diagnosed with cancer affecting the reproductive system. In some cases, surgery to remove a tumor may require removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix or uterus. Even without surgery, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy may damage these organs.

If fertility is a concern, we recommend discussing this with your provider prior to beginning any therapy.

Preventive Options

Women concerned about their risk of ovarian cancer should speak with their doctor about whether preventive surgery may be an option. Candidates for preventive surgery may have a:

• Family history of ovarian or breast cancer
• Hereditary mutations or syndromes, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, Lynch syndrome or Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
• Previous breast, colorectal or endometrial cancer diagnosis

Learn to identify potential ovarian cancer symptoms