Ovarian Cancer

If you have ovarian cancer, you know how the disease can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to fight cancer alone. Doctors at the University of Chicago Medical Center have helped thousands of women through their diagnosis and treatment.

Our dedicated team of cancer specialists can help plan your care, manage your side effects, and offer emotional support. Working closely with case managers, social workers, and outside agencies, our doctors and nurses can plan the very best care for you, based on your particular needs.

Surgery

Surgery is often recommended for women with ovarian cancer. Physicians at the University of Chicago Medical Center are skilled in using the latest surgical techniques to remove tumors and reduce the size of large masses. Such treatments can improve the outcomes for women battling this disease.

Chemotherapy

Several years after surviving ovarian cancer, Jennifer Bishop is pregnant with her first child. »See Jennifer's story

The University of Chicago is actively involved in trials to improve on current chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. In the past 10 to 20 years, the addition of the drug paclitaxel to first-line chemotherapy has greatly improved response rates for women with ovarian cancer.

In addition, a number of newer chemotherapy drugs--such as topotecan, liposomal doxorubicin, and gemcitabine, have been shown to shrink tumors in patients whose cancer has come back after previous chemotherapy. Current trials involve newer targeted agents.

Working with other research centers across the country, our doctors are trying to determine which drug combinations can be given with effective doses and the least side effects.

Radiation

Radiation therapies can sometimes be helpful for treating women with ovarian cancer. For example, whole abdominal radiation therapy (WART) can improve the outcome of patients whose cancer does not respond to chemotherapy. Doctors here are investigating how it might also be used in conjunction with chemotherapy in some women.

Special Care for Women at High Risk

The Cancer Risk Clinic at the University of Chicago Medical Center is designed for people who may have a higher risk of cancer because of their personal or family history.

For example, some women may benefit from having their ovaries removed before they develop ovarian cancer.

Here, genetic testing, counseling, and a wide range of helpful resources are available for people at risk of hereditary cancers. Since 1992, doctors and counselors have offered guidance and support for women at risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer. » Learn more about the Cancer Risk Clinic

PRISM Clinic Focuses on Sexual Health of Female Cancer Patients & Survivors

The University of Chicago's Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine (PRISM) for women and girls with cancer is designed to identify, prevent and treat sexual health problems in female cancer patients and survivors. The program is the first of its kind in Illinois and one of few such programs in the nation. » Learn more about the PRISM Clinic

More Information

• Cervical Cancer
• Ovarian Cancer