Ovarian Cancer Treatment Overview

Ovarian cancer treatment used to only include three forms. These were:

• The surgical removal of all cancerous tissues and cells
  
• Strong chemotherapy drugs to kill cancerous cells
  
• Strong energy radiation treatment to kill cancerous cells

Other combinations of these were also all that patients had to choose from. However, now there are many other options available through alternative and holistic medicine. Note, the type of treatment options available to a patient are determined by the Stage, Grade, blood tests, age group and complete health of the patient. Sometimes it may be necessary to combine both regular and alternative holistic medicine to save a patient's life, but at the end of the day the final decision belongs to the patient, and the patient must be provided with all the facts and be allowed to make a decision that suits their needs.

Ovarian cancer treatment - regular medicine forms

Surgery

• Usually needed
  
• Combined with other treatments (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, etc.)
  
• Only way to stage, grade, diagnose and remove main body of the tumor
  
• Only way to quickly remove ovarian cancer tumors, which generally can be aggressive
  
• Only way to give a proper first prognosis and determine the patient's hope of survival
  
• Can also include laparotomy, hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and lymphadenectomy; these can involve the removal of some or all pelvic organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, etc.), fat around bowels, and/or lymph nodes

Laparotomy surgery

• Insertion of tube with camera and light on end into pelvic region through a tiny abdominal incision
  
• Only way to take a biopsy of the tumor, also known as a 'frozen section'; biopsy can be analyzed immediately to confirm cancer type and spread to other areas
  
• If spread is found, an immediate search for the main tumor is undertaken inside the entire abdominal region

Modified surgery

• Removes only tumor ridden sexual reproductive organs for women wanting children
  
• Not available to all patients
  
• To be followed up with after pregnancy and childbirth with a complete hysterectomy and possible removal of fat around bowels and local lymph nodes

Chemotherapy

Drugs are administered through intravenous drip, abdominal injections, oral medication and/or muscle injections.

Considered by some to be beneficial in those with:

• Optional use of drugs to kill cancerous cells

  - a tumor inside one (or both) ovaries only
  - an unsplit tumor
  - no cancerous spread outside the ovarian surfaces
  - no cancerous cells found in pelvic lavage
  - those with Grade I or Grade II tumors

Not considered by some to be beneficial in those with:

• A tumor that has spread outside the ovarian surfaces
  

  - a split tumor
  - cancerous cells found in pelvic lavage
  - those with Grade III or IV tumors

Ovarian cancer treatment using chemotherapy can be detrimental because it has many side affects, one being the damage of healthy cells. These healthy cells include white/red blood cells, blood platelets (important for clotting), hair follicles, and gastrointestinal tract cells. The side affects and damage done by chemotherapy can include one or all of the following:

• Red blood cell loss or anemia
  
• Fatigue
  
• Dizziness
  
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
  
• Nausea
  
• Vomiting
  
• Diarrhea
  
• White blood cell loss, resulting in potential infections
  
• Hair loss - temporary
  
• Blood clotting limited

Doctors may offer patients varied drugs to minimize the side affects of chemotherapy that can stimulate blood production, and protect healthy cells. However, despite the many drugs available on the market, it is important for patients to get complete information about the possible side affects, benefits and problems associated with each individual drug before making a decision about treatment.

Radiation therapy

Using high energy gamma radiation, treatment can be issued via a machine like the X-ray machine, or by injecting radioactive phosphorus into the pelvic region. It is important to note that:

• Not common treatment
  
• Can damage healthy cells
  
• Can cause serious damage to other bodily organs
  
• In large does gives low forms of radiation sickness
  
• Good for use with tumors still contained with one (or both) ovaries
  
• Used for emergency procedure if cancerous cyst ruptures during surgery to kill cancerous cells

Radiation therapy benefits patients by destroying the fast dividing cancerous cells, but it can also cause other side effects:

• Abdominal pain
  
• Nausea
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Abdominal tissue lining swelling
  
• Creation of abdominal growths or bands
  
• Small bowel obstruction
  
• Blood count reduction
  
• Irritated skin
  
• Swollen skin
  
• Darkening of skin
  

Ovarian cancer treatment - alternative/holistic forms

Other possible ovarian cancer treatments include hormone and gene therapies.

Gene therapy

Though in its infancy, gene therapy could one day control a cancer or even prevent it. As one of the many suspected causes of ovarian cancer is thought to be defective genetics in cells, whether through possible inheritance or chemical or environmental damage, scientists are still experimenting with transferring healthy genetic data into damaged cells. They are hoping this will enable the cancerous cells to self-destruct or become more susceptible to chemotherapy.

Currently the only way to get gene therapy is through clinical trials. Patients should ask their doctor or cancer agency about current ones in their area.

Hormone therapy

This is a controversial form of therapy that involves the use of male or female sex hormones to combat cancerous cells. It has shown some benefits to patients needing further ovarian cancer treatments, when all the other medical treatments have had no affect. However, the increased stimulation of the ovaries by the drugs used are also now being suspected of causing further types of ovarian cancers, as suspected also with fertility drugs. Unfortunately, few studies have been done to conclusively verify this, so patients are being at the least, cautioned about the possibility. One such drug in question is Clomid, a relative of tamoxifen, which is used for some types of ovarian cancers. Other hormone therapies like HRT have been considered for use in battling some types of these cancers, but they too have seen as risky.

Amino acid therapy

This type of therapy is also called CAAT. It involves a diet based on chemical reactions to starve cancerous cells to death. The diet focuses on the use of amino acids, supplemental nutrition and special foods. So far clinical trials have shown positive results.

Doctors control every aspect of a patient's nutritional intake by replacing some of their normal foods with those high in amino acids. However, this ovarian cancer treatment can be used in combination with other alternative, holistic or medical treatments to further enhance their abilities to kill cancer. One such study by Dr. Marco Rabinowitz, the National Cancer Institute (US), shows clearly how well this therapy works, but total abandonment of other treatments is not suggested unless they have already failed.

It is essential for all cancer patients, especially those requiring ovarian cancer treatments, to investigate all the possible treatments available to them, both traditional medical, modern alternative and ancient holistic. It may be that only a combination of these methods will work to cure a patient's cancer, but having all the facts, and being able to make a knowledgeable decision is not only beneficial to the self-esteem and ability of the patient to face and fight this horrible disease, but may well save their life. Life is too precious not to try, isn't it?

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