Like any cancer diagnosis, ovarian cancer can be life-altering and full of uncertainties. However, doctors are developing new and better treatment options to help people with ovarian cancer live longer, healthier lives. These are the most common ovarian cancer treatments and types.
Types of Ovarian Cancer
There are several types of ovarian cancer. Three of the most common types of ovarian cancer include:
- Epithelial ovarian tumors: These tumors grow on the outer surface of the ovaries and have several subtypes. However, as a larger group, these are the most common types of ovarian cancer. They often have no symptoms in the early stages, making them harder to detect early.
- Germ cell ovarian tumors: Mainly coming from the cells that produce eggs, these tumors are relatively rare and occur in younger people than other types of tumors. They tend to grow slowly and not spread very quickly.
- Stromal cell ovarian tumors: These tumors are rare and usually occur in women over the age of 50. They form in the tissue cells that create sex hormones and keep the ovary together.
Ovarian Cancer Treatment Options
Surgery for Ovarian Cancer
Oftentimes, surgery is the first treatment option your team will try to remove the cancer from your body. If your ovarian cancer is still in its early stages, your surgeon might only remove the affected ovary and its fallopian tube.
However, if your cancer is more advanced, your surgeon might remove both ovaries, your uterus, or other surrounding tissue to keep the cancer from spreading any further.
Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
Chemotherapy uses specialized drugs to kill fast-growing cells in your body, including the cancer cells in your ovaries. Your oncologist might deliver the chemotherapy drugs through an IV in your arm, a central line called a port, or as a pill you take by mouth on a set schedule.
The goal of using chemotherapy is to stop ovarian cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. However, it has some side effects, mostly in parts of the body with fast-growing cells. The most common side effects include fatigue, nausea, hair loss, mouth sores, and a weakened immune system.
Radiation Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
Radiation therapy uses a beam of atomic energy to destroy the cancer cells in your ovary, which in turn causes tumors to shrink. This is a rarely used option for ovarian cancer, because it tends to be less effective in this case.
Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
Part of the reason why ovarian cancer is so hard to detect is that your immune system can’t recognize tumors as dangerous on its own. For some people, that’s where immunotherapy can help.
Immunotherapy uses medication to boost your immune system so it can recognize and destroy cancer cells more easily. Immunotherapy works by blocking or allowing certain proteins in your body to attach to T cells, helping your immune system recognize when to trigger an immune response and attack the ovarian cancer cells.
Targeted Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
Targeted therapy uses specialized medicine to keep the proteins in cancer cells from growing. The way it works is similar to chemotherapy. However, targeted therapy only attacks your ovarian cancer cells, instead of any fast-growing cells in your body.
Your doctor may recommend targeted therapy if your cancer hasn’t responded well to other treatments like chemotherapy.
Hormone Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
Hormone therapy uses medication to stop your body from producing the hormones that cause some types of ovarian cancer to grow. The medications block your body’s hormones from attaching to cancer cells, which stops the tumor from growing. In some cases, it can even cause tumors to shrink.
Our Ovarian Cancer Treatment Center in Michigan
Every experience with ovarian cancer is unique. That’s why our oncologists at The Cancer & Hematology Centers treat each diagnosis like the individual case that it is. We offer multiple ovarian cancer treatment options, plus cutting-edge procedures and clinical trials to help you on the path to recovery.
Learn More About Ovarian Cancer Treatments
Our expert team of doctors has the best treatments for ovarian cancer. We’re here to help you through every step of your journey. To learn more about your treatment options for ovarian cancer, call 800-411-7999 today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed?
There are two tests doctors use most often to diagnose ovarian cancer: transvaginal ultrasounds, or blood tests.
A transvaginal ultrasound uses an ultrasound wand to detect masses in or on the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. However, the ultrasound can’t tell your doctor if a mass is benign or cancerous on its own.
Blood tests can help confirm if a mass on your ovaries is cancer by measuring specific proteins in your blood.
Can a Pap Smear Detect Ovarian Cancer?
No, a pap smear cannot reliably detect ovarian cancer. Only transvaginal ultrasounds can detect it.
What Are the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?
The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
- Pain in your pelvis or abdomen
- Changes in your appetite, including getting full faster
- Vaginal discharge
- Abnormal bleeding, especially outside your menstrual cycle or after menopause
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Increase in the size of your abdomen
- Needing to pee more often