Misconceptions About Chemotherapy

If you have ovarian cancer, it’s a safe bet that chemotherapy will play a role in your treatment regimen. Designed to stop cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs, chemotherapy travels through the bloodstream killing cancerous cells.

“People hear the word chemotherapy and they assume it’s going to be the treatment that’s used for someone with more advanced disease or a different kind of cancer where the toxicities of chemotherapy may be significant,” explains Dr. Lynn Parker, a gynecologic oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville Kentucky. But not all chemotherapy treatment is the same.

The Chemotherapy Experience

Different cancers use different chemotherapies — and not all of them behave the same. With ovarian cancer, chemotherapy regimens are not only effective, they’re also well tolerated in most cases.

“Even though chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is still challenging, we’ve become a lot more knowledgeable about how to deliver treatment and how to make side effects more manageable,” Dr. Parker says. Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer usually involves combining two different types of drugs:

• A platinum-based agent (usually cisplatin or carboplatin)
• A taxane, such as paclitaxel (Taxol®) or docetaxel (Taxotere®)

These drugs are delivered through an intravenous infusion every 3 to 4 weeks for three cycles. Then doctors usually do repeat imaging and assessments followed by another three cycles of treatment. But every patient experience is unique. Some patients only need two cycles. Others need more than three. The number of cycles required depends on several factors, including:

• The patient’s health
• The stage of disease
• Where the cancer is located
• How patients respond to treatment

Today’s Chemotherapy

The chemotherapy experience is unique to each individual, and it depends largely on the stage and distribution of disease, as well as the health of the individual patient. “It’s important for patients to understand that gynecologic cancers are very responsive to treatment,” Parker says.

Today’s chemotherapy regimens are much more tolerable than protocols from decades past and side effects tend to resolve after treatment has been completed. Doctors also deliver chemotherapy in cycles with built-in rest periods to minimize the side effects. These can include:

• Changes in taste
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea and abdominal cramping
• Hair loss
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Mouth sores
• Neuropathy (numbness, tingling or pain in the hands and feet)

It’s important to keep your doctor informed about how you’re tolerating treatment. The reason: There are a number of medications available to help manage things like nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Also, if you’re experiencing debilitating side effects, your doctor may choose to modify your treatment regimen.

In every case, conversations with your health care team and careful planning can help you navigate the experience with the greatest ease.

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