The ovaries are reproductive glands found in women, and ovarian cancer can develop on the surface of the ovary or inside the ovary itself. Treatment for ovarian cancer can vary, depending on the stage and extent of disease and your overall health, but chemotherapy is typically part of standard treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Significance
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2010, almost 22,000 new diagnoses of ovarian cancer will be made in the United States, and over 13,000 women will die from the disease. It is the ninth most common cancer in women, and the odds of a woman being diagnosed with the disease in her lifetime is one in 71.
Function
Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to slow down the multiplication of cancer cells and kill cancer cells, according to the National Cancer Institute. It can be administered intravenously, orally or injected into a body cavity like the abdomen, depending on the drug being used and the type of cancer being treated. Chemotherapy is called a systemic therapy because when taken orally or intravenously, the drugs go through the bloodstream, traveling throughout the body and kill cancer cells that may have spread to other areas in the body.
Time Frame
Chemotherapy is given in cycles, with days of drug administration and then a recovery period. One cycle is typically three to four weeks long, and according to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer is usually treated with six cycles of chemotherapy. This can vary, depending on the stage of cancer, your overall health and the treatment plan your health care team has developed.
Types
Standard chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer include a platinum-based drug like carboplatin or cisplatin and a taxane drug like paclitaxel or docetaxel, says the American Cancer Society. Brand names of these drugs are Paraplatin, Platinol, Taxol and Taxotere, respectively. Sometimes other chemotherapy drugs are used, especially if the cancer returns or is not responding to the standard drugs. These include topotecan, doxorubicin, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, ifosfamide and etoposide.
Effects
Chemotherapy does carry side effects, but not everyone will experience every side effect. These side effects are usually manageable and most of them tend to resolve once treatment is over. The American Cancer Society lists some of the side effects, including nausea and vomiting, mouth sores, loss of hair and appetite, low white and red blood cell counts, which can lead to increased risk of infection and anemia, fatigue, premature menopause and easy bruising and bleeding.
