Ovarian cancer: choosing treatment
When you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, sometimes making decisions about the right treatment for you can be very hard. You need to make sure that you understand enough about your illness, the possible treatment and side effects to make your own decisions.
For some women with ovarian cancer, treatment will result in a cure. However, treatment often means that women can no longer have children. When fertility is really important for you, talk with your doctor about what other choices may be available to you. This will depend on the type of ovarian cancer you have.
For other women with more advanced ovarian cancer, treatment may be aimed at controlling symptoms rather than curing the cancer. Sometimes the best way to control the symptoms is to treat the cancer—which may carry a small chance of a cure. Some women in this situation want all possible treatments, while others want to make sure that the possible benefits of treatment will outweigh the possible side effects. Still others will choose the option they consider offers them the best quality of life.
Talking with doctors
You may find it helpful to talk not only with your doctor(s), but also with the nursing staff who will be caring for you during your initial treatment. You have the right to find out what a suggested treatment means for you and the right to accept or refuse it.
Before you see the doctor, it may help to write down your questions. Taking notes during the session can also help. Many people like to have a family member or friend go with them, to take part in the discussion, take notes, or simply listen. Some people find it is helpful to tape record the discussion.
Talking with others
Once you have discussed your treatment options with your doctor, you may want to talk with your partner, family or friends, the nursing staff, the hospital social worker, or your own spiritual or religious adviser. Talking it over can help to sort out what course of action is right for you.
A second opinion
You may also want to ask for a second opinion from another gynaecological oncologist—this is understandable and is your choice. Your specialist or local doctor can refer you to another specialist for this. You can still ask for a second opinion even if you have already started treatment and still want to be treated by your first doctor.
Clinical trials
Your doctor may suggest that you consider taking part in a clinical trial.
Clinical trials are a vital part of the search to find better treatments for cancer. Doctors conduct clinical trials to test new or modified treatments and see if they are better than existing treatments. Many people all over the world have taken part in clinical trials that have resulted in improvements to cancer treatment.
However the decision to take part in a clinical trial is always yours. If your doctor asks you to take part in a clinical trial, make sure that you fully understand the reasons for the trial and what it means for you. Before deciding whether or not to join the trial, you may wish to ask your doctor some of the following questions.
- What treatments are being tested and why?
- What tests are involved?
- What are the possible risks or side effects?
- How long will the trial last?
- Will I need to go into hospital for treatment?
- What will I do if any problems occur while I am in the trial?
If you decide to join a randomised clinical trial, you will be given either the best existing treatment or a promising new treatment. You will be chosen at random to receive one treatment or the other, but it will always be the best treatment available.
If you do join a clinical trial, you have the right to withdraw at any time. Doing so will not jeopardise your treatment for cancer. It is always your decision to take part in a clinical trial. If you do not want to take part, your doctor will discuss the best current treatment choices with you.
Last Reviewed: 20 April 2001
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