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If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you and your health care team can begin the process of fighting your disease. Be your own best advocate by understanding what ovarian cancer is, what options you have for treatment, and what side effects you can expect. This knowledge will help you work with your doctors to make the best decisions about your treatment.
This knowledge will help you work with your doctors to make the best decisions about your treatment.
What is ovarian cancer?
Cancer is a disease that causes cells to grow out of control and form tumors. Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries.
Each type of tumor can affect how your ovarian cancer is treated, so it is important to talk to your doctor about the best treatment options for your specific type of ovarian cancer.
Stages of ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is categorized into four stages. Stage one is the least invasive, while stage four is the most serious. Each cancer stage is determined based on where cancer cells are found. The stages of ovarian cancer are:
- Stage one – Cancer cells are found only in one or both ovaries.
- Stage two – Cancer cells are in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes and have spread to other organs (such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, the sigmoid colon, or the rectum) within the pelvis.
- Stage three – Cancer cells have spread into the abdomen outside of the pelvic area. Cancer may be found in the lymph nodes in the abdomen. Tumors larger than 3⁄4 inch may be visible growing on the lining of the abdomen.
- Stage four –Cancer cells have metastasized (spread) into other organs in the body outside of the abdomen such as the liver or lungs. This cancer is still known as ovarian cancer because the cancerous cells started in the ovaries.
How is ovarian cancer treated?
Your doctor will use all the information available about your cancer to develop an effective treatment plan for you. Because every person’s experience with cancer is unique, your treatment plan will be specifically customized for you.
Your physician can also use genetic tests to classify ovarian cancer and help determine what treatment could work best for you. The results of those tests, which are like a map of one’s genes, can help determine the surgical and chemotherapeutic options that could be most successful in fighting the kind of cancer you have.
The primary treatment options for ovarian cancer are:
- Surgery - This is often the first step in treatment for ovarian cancer. The level of surgery your doctor may recommend will depend on the current stage of cancer. The goal is to remove as much of the cancer as possible while preserving the healthy tissue around the cancer.
- Chemotherapy - To make sure any remaining cancer cells are killed, your doctor may prescribe cancer-killing drugs known as chemotherapy. These treatments are given in various settings and can vary in length and duration.
What side effects should I expect?
Cancer treatments can be physically hard on your body. Being aware of the possible side effects can help you stay physically and emotionally strong during and after treatment.
Side effects from surgery
Following surgery, it is important to give yourself time to heal by resting as much as possible. Potential side effects include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Constipation
- Difficulty urinating
Side effects from chemotherapy
While chemotherapy drugs kill cancer by attacking cells that grow quickly, they also have side effects including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Hair loss
- A low red blood cell count, which impacts the body’s ability to make new blood cells (anemia)
- A low white blood cell count, which impacts the body’s ability to fight infection (leukopenia)
What else can I do to better understand ovarian cancer?
You can support your own healing and help yourself live well with ovarian cancer by taking steps to maintain a positive attitude. Understand the stages of the disease, your treatment options and potential side effects. Eat well, continue to stay active, and take advantage of support from your family, friends and health care team.
Sources:
American Cancer Society. Ovarian Cancer. Web. November 11, 2014.
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-what-is-ovarian-cancer
My Ovarian Cancer Journey. Understanding Diagnosis. Web. October 22, 2014.
http://myocjourney.com/understanding-diagnosis
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian. Web. November 11, 2014.
http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/genetics_screening.pdf
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Ovarian Cancer: NCCN Guidelines for Patients. Web. November 11, 2014. http://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/ovarian/
American Cancer Society. Constipation caused by chemo. Web. November 11, 2014.
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/chemotherapy/understandingchemotherapyaguideforpatientsandfamilies/understanding-chemotherapy-more-side-effects-constipation
American Society of Clinical Oncology. Side effects. Web. November 11, 2014.
http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/side-effects
Reviewed October 28, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith