What Is The Treatment for Ovarian Cancer?
What is the treatment for ovarian cancer? When you or your loved one is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, one of the first things you will want to know is what treatment options are available.
Here in this post, we explain available treatments for ovarian cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and palliative care treatments.
What You Should Know About Treatment Options
When it comes to ovarian cancer, one individual’s case may be different from another’s case. As such, the treatments can vary from one patient to another. Also, which treatment(s) a patient will undergo depend on various factors, such as
Oftentimes, ovarian cancer patients will undergo some of the treatments at the same time.
Targeted therapy
Medicine used in targeted therapy aims to attack specific weaknesses that the cancer cells have. By attacking these weaknesses, the treatment may kill the cancer cells.
If you are considering this therapy, your doctor may test the cancer cells beforehand to determine which targeted therapy works best for your cancer.
Immunotherapy
Normally, the immune system cells don’t fight the cancer cells as they produce certain proteins that help them to be undetected. Immunotherapy disrupts this process, thus allowing the immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy, however, is used only in certain situations.
Here in this post, we explain available treatments for ovarian cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and palliative care treatments.
What You Should Know About Treatment Options
When it comes to ovarian cancer, one individual’s case may be different from another’s case. As such, the treatments can vary from one patient to another. Also, which treatment(s) a patient will undergo depend on various factors, such as
- The cancer’s type, stage, and grade
- The patient’s overall health and age
- The patient’s personal preferences
- The treatment’s accessibility and affordability
Oftentimes, ovarian cancer patients will undergo some of the treatments at the same time.
What Is The Treatment for Ovarian Cancer
So, what is the treatment for ovarian cancer? Treatment options for ovarian cancer includeSurgery
Of all the treatment options, surgery is the main one. Surgical treatment aims to remove all of cancer. Or in case removing all of the cancer is not possible, remove as much cancer as possible.
What kind of surgery will be done depends on the type of cancer as well as how far cancer has spread.
Usually, surgery involves the removal of
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses chemicals to kill fast-growing cells within the body, which includes cancerous cells. The medicine used in this therapy can either be taken by mouth or injected into a vein.
Chemotherapy can be used before and after surgery. After surgery, chemotherapy is aimed to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Usually, patients with ovarian cancer will have either systemic chemotherapy or systemic chemotherapy and intraperitoneal (IP) therapy. Side effects are common with this therapy. What the side effects depend on the treatment type and how long it is done.
Of all the treatment options, surgery is the main one. Surgical treatment aims to remove all of cancer. Or in case removing all of the cancer is not possible, remove as much cancer as possible.
What kind of surgery will be done depends on the type of cancer as well as how far cancer has spread.
Usually, surgery involves the removal of
- Both ovaries and the fallopian tubes
- The uterus (hysterectomy)
- The omentum
Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses chemicals to kill fast-growing cells within the body, which includes cancerous cells. The medicine used in this therapy can either be taken by mouth or injected into a vein.
Chemotherapy can be used before and after surgery. After surgery, chemotherapy is aimed to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Usually, patients with ovarian cancer will have either systemic chemotherapy or systemic chemotherapy and intraperitoneal (IP) therapy. Side effects are common with this therapy. What the side effects depend on the treatment type and how long it is done.
Targeted therapy
Medicine used in targeted therapy aims to attack specific weaknesses that the cancer cells have. By attacking these weaknesses, the treatment may kill the cancer cells.
If you are considering this therapy, your doctor may test the cancer cells beforehand to determine which targeted therapy works best for your cancer.
Immunotherapy
Normally, the immune system cells don’t fight the cancer cells as they produce certain proteins that help them to be undetected. Immunotherapy disrupts this process, thus allowing the immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy, however, is used only in certain situations.
Hormone therapy
Some cancer cells use the hormone estrogen to help them grow. This is where hormone therapy can help. This particular therapy uses drugs that block the effect of estrogen on cancerous cells in the ovaries, thus helping to control cancer.
Hormone therapy can be a viable treatment option if cancer returns after initial treatments or if the cancer is of the slow-growing type.
Some cancer cells use the hormone estrogen to help them grow. This is where hormone therapy can help. This particular therapy uses drugs that block the effect of estrogen on cancerous cells in the ovaries, thus helping to control cancer.
Hormone therapy can be a viable treatment option if cancer returns after initial treatments or if the cancer is of the slow-growing type.
Palliative care
Unlike other treatment options, palliative care is aimed to provide relief from pain as well as other symptoms of cancer. This treatment option can be used while a patient undergoes other aggressive treatments like surgery and/or chemotherapy.
When it is used along with other appropriate treatments, palliative care can help patients not just feel better but also live longer.
What is the treatment for ovarian cancer? As we explained above, there are various treatment options available. We hope this helps you understand what treatment options for ovarian cancer are available.
To find out which treatment options are best for you or your loved one, discuss them with your healthcare professionals.
Unlike other treatment options, palliative care is aimed to provide relief from pain as well as other symptoms of cancer. This treatment option can be used while a patient undergoes other aggressive treatments like surgery and/or chemotherapy.
When it is used along with other appropriate treatments, palliative care can help patients not just feel better but also live longer.
What is the treatment for ovarian cancer? As we explained above, there are various treatment options available. We hope this helps you understand what treatment options for ovarian cancer are available.
To find out which treatment options are best for you or your loved one, discuss them with your healthcare professionals.
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