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Needs To Know
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The primary treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery, consisting of removal of the uterus (hysterectomy), ovaries, omentum (abdominal fat pad where cancer likes to spread), and lymph nodes. Sometimes, the surgery requires resection of the bowel, liver or spleen depending on where the cancer has spread.Based on the information from the surgery, the cancer is staged from stage I (early disease) to stage IV (advanced disease). The more advanced the disease the poorer the prognosis. 
Treatment for ovarian cancer varies by the stage. Stage IA or IB (cancer confined to ovaries) usually requires no chemotherapy (a cancer killing drug). More advanced stages usually require chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin and paclitaxel (Taxol).Recently, a study showed that giving cisplatin and paclitaxel intraperitoneally (inside the abdomen) may increase the cure rate when the tumor has been removed completely (optimal debulking). Chemotherapy is usually given every three weeks for six cycles. The side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, are minimized by giving a special premedication. Both drugs can cause suppression of bone marrow function resulting in anemia (low red blood cell counts) and neutropenia (low white blood cell counts). Symptom wise, patients may feel tired and may get infections easier. Most concerning to many patients is alopecia (hair loss). However, the hair usually grows back after the cessation of chemotherapy.
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