Ovarian Cancer Recurrence After Treatment
When the cancer in your ovary comes back after the treatment, this is what you called ovarian cancer recurrence. The treatment will all depend on how the diagnosis of ovarian cancer recurrence was made and how long after the end of the initial treatment it happened.
In general, there are three separated categories which also carry three different prognoses; and it usually leads to the three different general treatment plans. But, behind all of that, ovarian cancer patients should always be aware that while there is a pretty standard approach to the initial treatment options, the treatment for ovarian cancer recurrence is being highly individualized.
Even if there are some good guidelines with this, there is still no universal agreement upon the standards of this practice. But in general, the more time before an ovarian cancer recurrence, the better of having the chances to possibly cure it or to have a long second remission.
If the ovarian cancer recurrence has been diagnosed at least 6 months after the initial treatments or preferably more closer into a year, the tumor will be deemed to be “platinum sensitive” only if the initial treatments do contained a platinum drug which is the Carbo-Platin or the Cis-Platin.
And if the ovarian cancer recurrence appear later than this point, the more that it might be reasonable to perform a “secondary cytoreduction”; which is another surgery to remove as much cancer cells as possible.
Most of the gynecologic oncologists would strongly consider this surgery if the cancer recurs at least two years after the initial treatment; or if a mass or masses are being seen while scanning or even being felt while conducting the examination. Moreover, this might be a best option prior with these frames too, which all will depend upon your specific situation.
Whether you are going to repeat the secondary cytoreduction surgery or not, still, many of the gynecologic oncologists will suggest treating your ovarian cancer with the same drugs that has been used in the first time you had treated it; most especially if the ovarian cancer recurrence has been found more than a year after your initial treatment.
If the ovarian cancer recurrence has been found between 6 months or even a year after your first treatment, the options might also include re-treatment with the use of Taxol and Cis-Platinum or even the use of Carbo-Platin or even using new drugs; simply because, most of the gynecologic oncologists would favor with the new drugs within this time frame.
If the recurrence is actually the cancer growth during the initial treatment, this will be called as the “platinum refractory” or simply an extreme case of resistance to chemotherapy treatment. This is the case where additional chemotherapy can be given and mainly with the use of the drugs that has been discussed about; but the chances of the response are quite slow.
With that, let us all remember that the drugs that has been mentioned are NOT the only available drugs for this treatment; these are just the ones being regarded by most of the gynecologic oncologists as the best ones to be tried out first.
There are so many other ways to be cured with this disease. We just have to be alert and visit our gynecologists as seldom as we can; most especially, if we already have the history of ovarian cancer to prevent its recurrence.
