The condition and the treatments

The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. Recurrent ovarian cancer is cancer that has come back some time after you were first treated. Treatment can control it, sometimes for many months or a few years.

In the early stages of ovarian cancer, the first treatment is usually platinum-based chemotherapy. Ovarian cancer can be divided into types:

  • platinum-refractory: cancer that has not responded to platinum-based chemotherapy

  • platinum-resistant: cancer that responded to platinum-based chemotherapy but has come back within 6 months of treatment

  • platinum-sensitive: cancer that responded to platinum-based chemotherapy but has come back 6 months or more after treatment.

Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol), pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride (PLDH, also known as Caelyx), gemcitabine (Gemzar), carboplatin (Paraplatin), trabectedin (Yondelis) and topotecan (Hycamtin or Potactasol) are chemotherapy drugs, used to kill cancer cells.

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