/ Updated July 29th, 2020

Chemotherapy: A Powerful Weapon Against Ovarian Cancer

Creator: Dr. Irina Dimitrova
Published: 2020-05-01T17:13:47-04:00

Medical Source: Dr. Irina Dimitrova
Henry Ford Health System

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Chemotherapy For Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is particularly responsive to chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is usually given for six cycles, with each cycle lasting three weeks.
Infusions typically last between one-and-a-half and five hours.
Most women are able to work and go about their daily lives during treatment.

When you're fighting ovarian cancer, chemotherapy is one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Because ovarian cancer is particularly responsive to chemo, most gynecologic oncologists will almost always build chemo into your treatment regimen at some pointor at multiple pointsduring your course of care.

The dose you receive, how frequently you receive it, and the timing of your treatment (before or after surgery, or both) depends on a number of things, including the stage of your cancer and your body's tolerance to side effects. The types of drugs you’ll get, however, will be fairly standard. For ovarian cancer, the most common chemo drug regimen includes a platinum-based agent such as carboplatin, and a taxane chemo agent called paclitaxel (often known by its brand name Taxol). Because clinical research has proven this combination effective, it’s become the standard-of-care for ovarian cancer chemotherapy.

Most patients get their chemotherapy through a port. Though some, whose ovarian cancer has spread within the abdominal cavity, may get what's called "belly bath" chemo, which is administered through a catheter, often directly after surgery. The goal of chemotherapy is to get patients into remission, or getting the cancer to the point where it’s not detectable on imaging or from blood tests.

"Around 80 percent of women will respond well to chemotherapy," says Dr. Irina Dimitrova, gynecologic oncologist at Henry Ford Health System. About 15 to 20 percent will be cured completely, meaning they’ll never have a recurrence of their cancer. "The rest of the women, about 60 percent, will see a recurrence after chemotherapy. They’ll have the more typical progression of ovarian cancer, which is primary treatment, then a disease-free interval, followed by the first relapse; another treatment, another disease-free interval, another relapse, and so on. Over time the disease-free intervals get progressively shorter."

The treatment schedule Dimitrova uses most frequently for her patients is six cycles of chemo, with each cycle lasting three weeks, for a total of about 18 weeks. Patients will come for infusions from one to three times every three weeks typically, three times per three-week cycle she says. The infusions can last anywhere between one-and-a-half to five hours.

The way patients tolerate the chemotherapy varies. Some struggle, while others experience few side effects at all. Many women are able to work and go about their daily lives during their treatment period. Most of my patients are able to work 50 to 75 percent of their pre-diagnosed hours, says Dimitrova. "And a lot of them have been able to maintain a full-time schedule."

Patients should prepare to feel more fatigued than they're used to, and perhaps some nausea. But these days, there are many ways to alleviate common chemo side effects. Having frequent and transparent conversations with your oncologist about your side effects is important because in some cases, it may be possible to adjust your chemo dose.

And even if you think you can keep up your normal routine it's a good idea to keep a flexible schedule in case you need to rest and stay home some days.

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Dr. Irina Dimitrova is a gynecologic oncologist with Henry Ford Health System. Read More