Ovarian cancer treatments have come a long way in the past couple of decades. New treatments are regularly being developed in clinical trials, helping people live longer, healthier lives. Researchers are also looking for ways to match treatments to each person’s specific type of ovarian cancer for better results.

Surgery and chemotherapy are common treatments for ovarian cancer, but doctors may also recommend other therapies. Different treatments may be used for different goals. In some cases, the goal is to eliminate all traces of cancer. Other times, the goal is to slow the growth of the tumor and manage symptoms.

This article covers six types of treatment for ovarian cancer. To learn more about your specific treatment plan, talk to your cancer care team.

Factors in Choosing Treatment

The most effective ovarian cancer treatment depends on your specific case. Your oncologist (or cancer specialist) can help you understand which treatment options are a good fit for you. Many factors can affect your treatment plan, such as:

• The type of ovarian cancer you have
• Your cancer stage
• Your age and overall health, including other conditions
• Your plans to have children
• Your personal preferences

Your doctor can make recommendations about which therapies would be a good fit for you. However, the choice of which treatment you receive is ultimately up to you.

If you have ovarian cancer, you may undergo:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Hormone therapy

You’ll likely receive a combination of these treatments. Clinical trials can be a valuable option for people whose other therapies haven’t worked.

1. Surgery

For most people with nonmetastatic ovarian cancer — meaning the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the ovaries — surgery is the first step in treatment. There are different kinds of surgery for ovarian cancer, and each has different goals.

Initial Surgery

A gynecologic oncologist often performs the initial surgery for ovarian cancer treatment.

The goals of initial surgery may include:

• Performing a biopsy to collect tissue samples to examine cells under a microscope
• Assessing whether cancer has spread to determine the cancer stage
• Removing cancer tissue

Debulking

The goal of debulking surgery is to remove as much cancer from the abdomen as possible. Depending on where the cancer has spread, debulking may include removing tumors or organs, such as:

• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• The uterus
• Pieces of the liver
• Segments of the colon or small intestine
• The appendix
• The spleen

Debulking that removes all visible tumors is associated with a better prognosis (outlook). Surgery can be hard on the body — debulking surgery may not be a suitable option for people who aren’t in good health.

Oophorectomy

Surgery for ovarian cancer usually involves an oophorectomy, which is the removal of one or both ovaries. A bilateral oophorectomy removes both ovaries. In some cases, the surgeon may also remove one or both fallopian tubes. This is known as a bilateral salpingo-oophoretomy.

Whether or not you have your ovaries removed depends on your ovarian cancer type. Most epithelial cell tumors are treated by removing both ovaries. However, stromal and germ cell tumors are often treated by removing only one ovary. Another factor is the tumor stage. Early-stage ovarian cancers — such as stages 1 and 2 — might also be treated by removing only one ovary or fallopian tube. Advanced treatments for stage 3 or 4 cancer usually involve removing both.

Removing both of the ovaries or fallopian tubes will make pregnancy impossible. If you want children in the future, be sure to tell your doctor. When cancer is only found in one ovary, they may be able to leave the other in place so you can still become pregnant.

Hysterectomy

If the cancer has spread to the uterus, the surgeon may perform a hysterectomy to remove it.

This procedure is usually performed on people who have already gone through menopause or those with advanced-stage ovarian cancer. A hysterectomy also takes away the ability to become pregnant.

2. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, also called chemo, refers to drugs that kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy medications may be pills or capsules taken by mouth or liquids given intravenously (through a vein). Doctors who specialize in chemotherapy treatment are called medical oncologists.

The goals of chemotherapy treatment may include:

• Killing cancer cells that were left behind after surgery to reduce the risk of relapse
• Shrinking tumors before surgery to make removal easier
• Destroying cancer cells that have spread to other places in the body

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles. Each cycle includes one or a couple of doses of medication followed by a rest period. Most people with nonmetastatic ovarian cancer will go through three to six cycles of chemotherapy. Your treatment plan varies based on the chemotherapy drug, along with your tumor type and stage.

Chemotherapy Drugs Commonly Used for Ovarian Cancer

The most common types of chemo used to treat epithelial ovarian cancer are platinum compounds and taxanes. Platinum compounds — such as cisplatin and carboplatin — work by damaging cells' DNA. This prevents the cancer cells from making new copies of themselves.

Taxanes like paclitaxel and docetaxel (Taxotere) also stop cells from reproducing. Other types of ovarian cancer may be treated with chemotherapies like bleomycin (Blenoxane) and etoposide (Vepesid).

Different types of chemotherapies work in different ways — but all of these drugs make it harder for tumors to grow and spread. People with ovarian cancer are usually given more than one form of chemo. This is because using a combination often leads to better results.

Intraperitoneal Therapy

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP therapy) may also be used to treat ovarian cancer. IP therapy usually involves platinum compounds. However, it delivers the drugs directly into the abdomen through a tiny tube. The chemotherapy directly affects and kills local cancer cells in that area. IP chemotherapy may be used after a debulking surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.

3. Targeted Therapy

Because cancer cells have genetic mutations (changes), they often make certain proteins. Targeted therapy specifically affects proteins found in cancer cells. Other treatments block tumors from making new blood vessels or deliver chemo drugs directly to the tumor.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors

Bevacizumab (Avastin) is an angiogenesis inhibitor often used to treat ovarian cancer. It blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a molecule cancer cells produce to form new blood vessels that supply the tumor with oxygen and nutrients. By blocking VEGF, bevacizumab helps cut off this supply to the tumor.

PARP Inhibitors

Both normal and cancerous cells use several different molecules to fix damage. One of these molecules is poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). When PARP is blocked using an inhibitor drug, cells can’t use it for repair.

Ovarian cancer cells often have gene mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes help repair DNA damage differently from PARP. When BRCA1/2 genes don’t work and PARP molecules are blocked, the cancer cells can’t repair themselves. This is why PARP inhibitors work so well to treat ovarian cancer.

PARP inhibitors may be used for initial therapy when you’re first diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They may also be prescribed later as maintenance therapy. This treatment helps prevent cancer from coming back or slows cancer growth.

PARP inhibitors that may be used to treat ovarian cancer include:

• Olaparib (Lynparza)
• Niraparib (Zejula)
• Rucaparib (Rubraca)

NTRK Inhibitors

Some ovarian cancers have changes in NTRK genes. These genes cause cells to grow and divide. In some cancer cells, NTRK genes are turned on at high levels, triggering cells to grow out of control. NTRK inhibitors block this process.

Examples of NTRK inhibitors for ovarian cancer include:

• Larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)
• Entrectinib (Rozlytrek)
• Repotrectinib (Augtyro)

Antibody-Drug Conjugates

In 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new ovarian cancer treatment. Mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elehere) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). This means it combines a chemotherapy drug with a lab-made antibody that helps deliver the drug directly to cancer cells.

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancers often have high levels of folate receptor-alpha (FR-alpha) proteins. The antibody targets FR-alpha and delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumor.

You may receive mirvetuximab soravtansine if:

• You have epithelial ovarian cancer that’s positive for FR-alpha.
• Your cisplatin or carboplatin treatment no longer works.
• You have received one to three previous treatments for ovarian cancer.

4. Hormone Therapy

Hormones are chemicals that act as messengers and send signals from one part of the body to the other. According to Cleveland Clinic, estrogen is a hormone that is important for sexual development and reproductive function in women. Unfortunately, estrogen can also act as fuel for some types of ovarian cancer cells and drive tumor growth.

Hormone therapy medications can block estrogen to slow down cancer cell reproduction. If you have an ovarian stromal tumor, your doctor may prescribe:

• Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists — Leuprolide (Lupron) and goserelin (Zoladex)
• Aromatase inhibitors — Anastrozole (Arimidex), exemestane (Aromasin), and letrozole (Femara)
• Antiestrogen medications — Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)

5. Radiation Therapy

Most people who have ovarian cancer won’t undergo radiation therapy. However, an oncologist may recommend it in some cases. Radiation therapy uses beams of energy — like X-rays — to destroy cancer cells. Radiation may be an option for ovarian cancer that has spread or is causing troublesome symptoms.

6. Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are the only way researchers can study the safety and effectiveness of new and existing treatments. Some trials study whether diet changes or exercise can help manage side effects or improve the quality of life for people with cancer. If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, talk to your doctor. You may be eligible to enroll in a study.

One potential risk of a clinical trial is that researchers don’t know how safe or effective a new treatment is. However, there are several possible benefits. New treatments may work better than old ones. People with advanced cancer who have already tried regular treatments might be able to try experimental therapies through clinical trials. Taking part in a clinical trial is also a way for you to help researchers make discoveries. These findings can help other individuals with ovarian cancer in the future.

Can Ovarian Cancer Be Cured?

It’s possible to live a long and healthy life after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. New and better treatments are always being developed. In some cases, ovarian cancer responds well to treatment and doesn’t return — meaning it’s cured. Even in advanced cases, treatment can sometimes slow down tumor growth and ease symptoms, helping you live longer and feel better.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyOvarianCancerTeam is the social network for people with ovarian cancer and their loved ones. On MyOvarianCancerTeam, more than 6,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with ovarian cancer.

Have you been diagnosed with ovarian cancer? What treatments are you using to manage your condition? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.