If you want to know more about the types of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer you should consider that there is a 2% chance of women developing this kind of cancer.
Beginning the treatment in earlier stage increases the chances of survival. The main point of chemotherapy is to attack and kill the cancer cells that are growing fast.
Alkylating agents and chemotherapy types for ovarian cancer
The main advantage of this method is that it interrupts the DNA formation of the cancer cells. The most common types of drugs used in case of ovarian cancer include cisplatin and carboplatin.
Naturally these drugs also have side effects, such as taste changes, hair loss, nausea, fatigue, low blood count and vomiting.
If these options of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer don’t work out, women could also use cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide.
Usually the first choice in case of ovarian cancer is cisplatin or carboplatin accompanied by another drug called taxane.
Plant alkaloids known as taxanes
Just as the name suggests in case of this one of the types of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, the drugs are produced from plants. In fact taxanes are made of Pacific Yew tree.
They act by killing the cancer cells through the part of that cell which has the role of dividing the cell.
Due to this the cells will not be able to divide and eventually die. The most common taxanes include docetaxel and paclitaxel. The side effects are low blood counts, hair loss, numbness in the feet and hands, muscle or joint pain, mouth sores and diarrhea.
Other plant alkaloids
In some cases the first types of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer that are used aren’t effective. If this is the case, plant-based taxanes of others plants can be used as well. Such drugs include the vinca alkaloids that are made of the periwinkle plant. The most important drug used in case of ovarian cancer is vinorelbine.
Naturally these solutions of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer also have some side effects. These include constipation, low blood counts, vomiting and nausea. Another common plant alkaloid is known to be etoposide that is produced from the apple plant. It side effects are nausea, loss of fertility, vomiting, low blood counts and hair loss.
Other chemo treatments
If you are interested in the types of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, you should also know about topotecan, liposomal, doxorubicin, doxorubicin, hexamethylmelamine and gemcitabine. Usually such drugs are used if the cancer spreads or the cancer didn’t respond to other drugs.
Just as in other cases of chemotherapy solutions for ovarian cancer, these all have different ways of acting. The side effects include vomiting, nausea, low blood counts, mouth sores, diarrhea, risk of bleeding, and also swelling.
Naturally there are some other types of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer that the doctor could suggest to you. You should consider the effectiveness and efficiency of these drugs and also their side effects before making a decision. Of course, you should listen to the suggestions of your health care provider.
