There are different types of ovarian cancer, all with their own staging. Some women are cured of ovarian cancer after treatment, while others are cured and then have recurrences of the disease. Some women are never cured of the disease despite receiving treatment. Getting medical attention should be your priority if you believe that your ovarian cancer diagnosis is due to your use of talcum powder as a feminine hygiene product. Contact our attorneys immediately at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444.
Available Types of Treatment for Ovarian Cancer
Surgery
There are many types of treatments for ovarian cancer that are considered the “standard of care.” Standard of care refers to the common treatment practiced by the medical community to battle ovarian cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the most common treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery.
Debulking is the surgical process of removing portions of ovarian cancer tissue or tumors near the ovaries or the peritoneal wall. A gynecologic oncologist will perform the surgery.
The debulking surgery is important for two reasons. First, the surgery removes all cancerous tumors over one centimeter in size. If the surgeon cannot perform a complete debulking, they may require the patient to return after a few rounds of chemotherapy. Next, the debulking surgery allows the doctor to make a determination regarding the actual extent of the cancer so that they can stage it. All cancers span between Stage I and Stage IV, with the latter being the most pervasive and extensive.
The gynecologic oncologist will decide if they need to remove any other organs. Types of organs the surgeon may remove include a woman’s fallopian tubes, ovaries, the omentum (fat pad that hangs from the colon), lymph nodes (for biopsies), uterus, small bowel, large bowel, liver, spleen, parts of the stomach, gallbladder, parts of the diaphragm, and the peritoneum (the lining that covers the organs in the abdomen.)
Chemotherapy
After the debulking surgery, and depending on what the surgeon discovers, the patient will likely also need chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Chemotherapy will identify, attack, and destroy specific cancer cells without harming normal, healthy cells. Chemotherapy can be very effective in combination with surgery as a cure for ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials
The standard of care can also include participation in ovarian cancer clinical trials. Clinical trials introduce new treatments to patients that may provide better outcomes to women with ovarian cancer. Some experimental treatments and clinical trials are available for women with ovarian cancer, including immunotherapy, which is a treatment that uses a patient’s own immune system to fight ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates
If an ovarian cancer patient has a debulking surgery, followed by intraperitoneal (within the abdomen) chemotherapy, they have a greater than 50% chance to still be alive in the next five years, according to the American Cancer Society. Ovarian cancer can also go into complete remission many times, for several years.
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Contact an Attorney
While receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer is overwhelming, make sure to have honest conversations with your health care providers to help you make the best decisions possible. If doctors diagnosed you with ovarian cancer, and you believe that you may have grounds for a lawsuit due to your use of talcum powder as a feminine hygiene product, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444. We may be able to help you get compensation for your injuries.
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