Penn Gynecologic Oncology offers the latest advances in chemotherapy for treating ovarian cancer. We offer seamless, coordinated care between oncologists and dedicated chemotherapy nurse practitioners from your first chemotherapy session through your follow-up care.
Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given before or after surgery, or on its own as a treatment for ovarian cancer.
The chemotherapy type and delivery method depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated:
- Combination therapy is treatment with more than one anticancer drug.
- Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is currently being studied for ovarian cancer. After debulking surgery is performed to remove cancerous tissue, warmed chemotherapy is sent directly into the peritoneal cavity.
- Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is delivered directly into the peritoneal cavity (the space that contains the abdominal organs) through a thin tube.
- Neoadjuvant therapy is given before surgery to shrink a tumor in order to more easily remove it.
- Regional chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ or a body cavity, such as the abdomen, to treat cancer in those areas.
- Systemic chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle. It then enters the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body.