Radiation therapy may be used if there is no or minimal residual cancer left after debulking surgery or if ovarian cancer recurs. Radiation is not frequently used.
- Radiation therapy or radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing.
- The radiation can come from a machine (external radiation) or from radioactive material placed into or near the tumor (internal radiation).
- Some women receive a type of internal radiation called intraperitoneal irradiation in which radioactive liquid is put into the abdomen through a catheter tube.
- Radiation destroys more cancer cells than normal cells. Normal cells are able to recover from the damage caused by radiation slightly better than cancer cells. These differences allow radiation to be used for destroying or controlling cancers with minimum damage to normal tissues.
- To protect normal cells, doctors carefully limit the doses of radiation and spread the treatment out over time. They also shield as much normal tissue as possible while they aim the radiation at the site of the cancer.
- Radiation therapy is usually given 5 days a week for 6 to 7 weeks. The total dose of radiation and the number of treatments will vary from patient to patient.
- You are less likely to have radiation if you have Stage I ovarian cancer.
- More advanced cancers are often treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both, after the initial surgery is finished.
Side effects may include:
- Fatigue
- Mild redness/skin sensitivities
- Loss of appetite
- Hair loss in the pelvic region
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Low blood counts
- These problems will fade once radiation therapy ends
Remember: Always discuss any concerns you may have about your treatment with your doctor, radiation therapist or RN case manager.
For further information about radiation therapy, see: