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After ovarian cancer is diagnosed, the physician will recommend one or more options for treatment. Treatment is based on a variety of factors, including the woman’s age and health status, as well as the stage of the cancer. A treatment plan is typically designed by the patient’s cancer care team, which is composed of several specialized physicians and healthcare professionals. Patients may choose to get a second opinion about their condition prior to beginning treatment. The basic types of treatment for ovarian cancer include:

• Surgery. The amount of surgery a patient has depends on her general health and how far the cancer has spread (metastasized) in the body. For patients of childbearing age with certain types of tumors and whose cancer is not too advanced, the physician will make an effort to treat the disease without removing both ovaries and the uterus. Surgical techniques used to treat ovarian cancer include:
  
  
• • Unilateral oophorectomy. Surgical removal of one ovary.
    
    
  • Bilateral oophorectomy. Surgical removal of both ovaries.
    
    
  • Unilateral salpingectomy. Surgical removal of one fallopian tube, one of two tubes that transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.
    
    
  • Bilateral salpingectomy. Surgical removal of both fallopian tubes.
    
    
  • Unilateral and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Surgical removal of one or both ovaries and the corresponding fallopian tube.
    
    
  • Radical hysterectomy. Surgical removal of the uterus, both ovaries, both fallopian tubes, neighboring lymph nodes and the omentum, a fatty tissue fold where ovarian cancer frequently spreads. The removal of the uterus and/or both ovaries means that that the woman will be unable to become pregnant. This surgery will also induce menopause in premenopausal women. Most women will be hospitalized for three to seven days after this procedure and can typically resume normal activities in four to six weeks.
    
    
  • Cytoreduction. Surgical removal of as much of the tumor as possible.
    
    
• Chemotherapy. The use of powerful drugs administered to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs are typically administered either intravenously or orally. Once the drugs enter the patient’s bloodstream, they begin to spread throughout the body. Recent studies have indicated that ovarian cancer also may be effectively treated when the drugs are injected directly into the abdominal cavity in addition to being given intravenously.
  
  Chemotherapy is potentially beneficial in treating cancer that has spread to other organs in the body. Most patients with epithelial ovarian cancer receive a combination of drugs. Different drug combinations are used to treat patients with germ cell tumors. A typical course of chemotherapy for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer is six treatment cycles, with each cycle lasting three to four weeks. A cycle is a period of treatment followed by a period of rest.
  
  
• Radiation therapy. Kills malignant cells with precise high-energy radiation beams. Though effective for many types of cancers, it is not typically used to treat ovarian cancer.

• Clinical trials. Women may choose to participate in clinical trials or studies involving promising new or experimental treatment methods for ovarian cancer. These may include other therapies such as biological therapy or other targeted therapies. A woman’s physicians can best determine whether she is a candidate for a clinical trial and assist in locating a study.
  

Patients who receive treatments for ovarian cancer should consult their physician regarding follow-up visits, and report any new symptoms or side effects as soon as they arise. There is a significant risk of recurrence of ovarian cancer after patients have been treated.