There are a number of different ways to treat ovarian cancer.
Your doctors will yarn with you about what treatments they recommend and what your options are best for you.
Most women have surgery. Some have radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy as well. You might need one of these, or a combination of them.
Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker about which treatment you might have.
Surgery
Surgery is a procedure done to remove the cancer and help to stop it from spreading to other parts of your body. Having surgery involves staying in hospital and having an anaesthetic (so that you are asleep during the operation) and an operation.
Depending on how far the cancer has spread, the surgery may remove the ovary and nearby pelvic organs too such as fallopian tubes and womb. If the cancer has spread outside the pelvis, other tissues and organs may need to be removed as well, including lymph nodes.
Sometimes the surgery is done through a cut in your belly. Sometimes it can be done as keyhole surgery.
Surgery for ovarian cancer affects your ability to have children (fertility) and may lead to menopause. Yarn with your doctor or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker.
Read more about surgery.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy (or radiation therapy) uses X-rays to destroy cancer cells in one part of your body. It is not used commonly in ovarian cancer but can be used to relieve symptoms if the cancer has grown or is not able to be removed surgically.
Most people who have radiotherapy have it 5 days a week for 4-6 weeks, and each session can take 15 minutes. But it might be different for you.
You can only have radiotherapy in cities and some big towns – see this list. If your doctor thinks you need radiotherapy and you don’t live near a radiotherapy site, assistance is available for travel and accommodation for you and your family.
Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.
Read more about radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy or ‘chemo’ involves you taking strong drugs to kill the cancer cells.
Many people have chemo in cycles – such as one day every three weeks, or once a week. Some people have chemotherapy tablets at home, but most need to go to a hospital or clinic. But you usually don’t need to stay in hospital for chemo.
Most chemo comes as injections into your arm or hand that drip in over a few hours and some need you to take home a small bottle home for two days then come back to take it off again. If you’re having chemo, your doctor will tell you exactly how it will work for you.
Most women with ovarian cancer will have surgery and then chemotherapy after their operation to get rid of any cancer that might remain after surgery.
Chemo can make people feel sick for a while, but there are things they can do and take to help. Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker. Mob who have had chemo say that traditional healing, bush medicines, Women’s Business, being on Country and cultural practices help with managing the side effects of chemo.
Read more about chemotherapy and side effects.
Targeted therapies
Targeted therapies are newer drugs that try to stop the cancer growing. They are usually in the form of tablets that you can take at home.
Targeted therapy is usually used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery.
If your doctor thinks they might help, here are some questions to ask.
Read more about targeted therapy.
Hormone therapy
Some types of ovarian cancer depend on the hormones in your body. If you have this type of cancer, then your doctor might suggest drugs to affect your body’s hormones. It can slow, and maybe stop, the growth of the cancer.
Hormone therapy usually means that you take tablets every day for months or years. Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.
Read about the types of hormone therapy and possible side effects.
Effect on fertility
If you haven’t had menopause, some of these treatments will affect your ability to have children. Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker about this.