Did you know that there are only three basic options for the treatment of ovarian cancer? First, there is surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible by removing the affected tissue. Second, there is chemotherapy which involves the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells. Third, there is radiation which uses external high-energy X-rays to target the tumor and kill cancer cells. Medications are also available to help with an array of symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. There are also clinical trials with experimental medication and therapies that aren’t FDA approved yet. This trial’s research is designed to get the medication or treatment FDA-approved. Genetically engineered immunotherapy is an experimental drug for relapsed or resistant ovarian cancer and is still going through clinical trials.
Often the first line of treatment is a hysterectomy, which removes the uterus and cervix. Hysterectomies may be performed through small incisions robotically or with a laparoscope. These minimally invasive options reduce scarring, minimize bleeding, shorten your hospital stay, and speed up your recovery. You may have heard of Lymph Node Removal surgery. Lymph nodes may be removed during a hysterectomy to determine if your cancer has spread. Your surgeon may check just a few key lymph nodes, called a sentinel node dissection, or more lymph nodes may be removed during a full node dissection, depending on how far your cancer has spread. Everyone’s cancer treatment is designed especially for them by their trusted oncologist; whereas one method of treatment may work well for one, it may not be for someone else.
Radiation Therapy uses external high-energy X-rays to target the tumor and kill cancer cells. Radiation oncologists are specially trained to deliver radiation for uterine cancer and minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Radiation therapy may be recommended following surgery or when surgery is not an option. Chemotherapy can be administered by mouth or intravenously. Chemotherapy may be recommended after surgery to kill cancer cells or slow cancer growth. Hormone Therapy is where anti-estrogens or progestins may be given to slow or stop uterine cancer cell growth. These may be combined with other treatments, or in women who are not candidates for surgery or radiation therapy or want to preserve their fertility.