Treatment Ovarian Cancer
Treatment of ovarian cancer may vary in each case, determined by the stage of cancer, health condition, and the desire of the patient to have offspring. The main treatment of ovarian cancer is through surgery and chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Operation
The surgical procedure usually involves removal of both ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and omentum (fatty tissue in the abdomen). This operation can also involve the removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdominal cavity to prevent and find out if there is spread of cancer. With the removal of both ovaries and uterus, sufferers can no longer have offspring.
Yet another case with ovarian cancer is detected at an early stage. Sufferers may only undergo surgical removal of one ovary and fallopian tube so the possibility to have a descendant still exists.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be scheduled after surgery. This is done to kill the remaining cancer cells. During chemotherapy, the doctor will monitor the progress of the patient regularly to ensure the effectiveness of the drug and the body's response to the drug.
Chemotherapy may also be given prior to surgery in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, with the aim of shrinking the tumor to facilitate the lifting procedure.
Each treatment is at risk for side effects, as well as chemotherapy. Some of the side effects that may occur after the chemotherapy process include no appetite, nausea, vomiting, weakness, hair loss, and increased risk of infection.
Radiotherapy
In addition to surgery and chemotherapy, radiotherapy is another action that can be an alternative. In radiotherapy, cancer cells are killed by radiation from X-rays.
Just like chemotherapy, radiotherapy can be given either after or before surgery. Side effects are also similar to chemotherapy, especially the occurrence of hair loss.
Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer
The earlier the ovarian cancer is detected and treated, the likelihood of survival of the patient will increase. Nearly half of people with cancer will survive for at least 5 years after diagnosis, and one-third have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. However, patients who have recovered from cancer still have the potential to experience recurrence in a few years.
In case of recurrence, the success rate of treatment will be very small. So handling in cases like this is more intended to reduce complaints and control cancer cells to enter a remission period for several months or years.
Prevention of Ovarian Cancer
Because of the unknown cause, prevention of ovarian cancer can not be done with certainty. But there are some things that can reduce a person's risk of this cancer. These steps include:
Use contraception in pill form for over 10 years, This step is proven to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by half.
Living a pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Applying a healthy lifestyle to avoid obesity Examples are regular exercise and increase fiber consumption such as fruits and vegetables.
In women who have a high risk of ovarian cancer, surgical removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes before the cancer can also be done in order to minimize the risk. This procedure is usually recommended at age 35 to 40 years, for those who have decided not to have more offspring