Early Signs and Treatment Options for Ovarian Cancer

Early Signs and Treatment Options for Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer develops in the ovaries. One must be cautious of the signs and symptoms. Here is all that you need to know about the signs and treatment options for ovarian cancer.  

Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer
When ovarian cancer is in the early stages, it rarely causes any symptoms to appear, making it difficult to detect. The symptoms that occur when your ovarian cancer has spread or reached an advanced stage are similar to those found in other non-cancer conditions. This can make you ignore the signs and symptoms of this condition. This is why it is good to know the signs and treatment options for ovarian cancer. You must look consult a doctor when:

  • You have unexplained weight loss
  • You have a strong urge to urinate, and the frequency of urination has increased
  • You feel fuller quicker than before, even though you don’t eat much
  • You feel bloated
  • You feel uncomfortable in your pelvis region
  • You experience changes in your bowel habits
  • You experience pain when you have sex
  • You feel extremely tired, even when you are simply sitting down
  • Your period changes, such as you have heavy bleeding

If the above-mentioned symptoms occur quite frequently, this might indicate ovarian cancer.

Treatment options for ovarian cancer
Generally, more than one type of treatment might be necessary to treat ovarian cancer. Here are the signs and treatment options for ovarian cancer.

Targeted therapy
Your cancer cells might have certain traits that can make them vulnerable. Targeted therapy aims to target those weaknesses of the cancer cells. This therapy is usually recommended after you received ovarian cancer treatment, but cancer has returned. Else, targeted therapy can be used when other treatments aren’t working. Your doctor will figure out which targeted therapy is best for you. New targeted therapies are being researched.

Chemotherapy
This medicinal treatment makes use of chemicals that destroy the cells that are growing at a rapid pace, including cancer cells. There are two ways these chemicals can be put into your body. They can be injected into your abdomen, and this process is called intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Else, you can take the drug orally. Chemotherapy can be used before or after surgery. It is used after surgery to ensure no cancer cells remain.

Surgery
Numerous ovarian cancer surgeries can be recommended. Here are the top signs and treatment options for ovarian cancer.

  • When you have cancer in one ovary only, then with the help of surgery, one ovary is removed along with the fallopian tube. You can still have children if you wish to after surgery.
  • When cancerous cells have spread to both ovaries, but it hasn’t spread anywhere else, then both your ovaries need to be removed along with the fallopian tubes. As your uterus is present, you can have children with the help of donor eggs or freezing your eggs or embryos.
  • Surgery might be required where your ovaries and uterus need to be removed. This is generally the case when cancer has spread. In this, the removal of lymph nodes nearby, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and omentum will occur.
  • Your doctor may only recommend this treatment option if the other options fail to give results.

Supportive care
Also called palliative care, this is when you receive care so you can get relief from the cancer symptoms. Supportive care is often used while you are undergoing other treatments for ovarian cancer. Doctors, specialists, and nurses provide palliative care. They support you and ensure you feel better even when you are going through some aggressive treatments like chemotherapy. They help improve your quality of life.