Actual Drugs Used For Ovarian Cancer

I have been searching the web for actual drugs used to treat ovarian cancer, but it's always generalized as chemotherapy. I want to know the drugs used to treat ovarian cancer and it's side effects. Also I would like to know the best alternative treatments that can be combined with conventional treatments.

Hi Franc,
I am not a doctor, but a ovarian cancer survivor for the 2nd time around. The most effective chemotherapy drugs that have worked for me (i have epithelial ovarian cancer) have been cisplatin and gemzar (sp?) - how long that will be effective, I don't know because apparently, as I have been told, these cancer cells get smart and learn how to become immune to the drugs and so the drs. have to try new stuff when the disease resurfaces. I was on topotecan and cisplatin the first time - that worked too. There are others but I am not aware of them. I always ask what the drugs are that they are going to give me chemotherapy. I've never had a problem with them (the doctors) telling me. I aslo would ask them to find out what the most effective chemicals are for my particular type of cancer. They can take a sample of your cancer cells and send them out to a lab in California that will try different chemicals on the cells to see which are most effective in destroying the cells. It's your body - demand (nicely) answers. - hope this helps. Gail F.

thank u Gail F.

Hi Franc
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage IV, in Oct, 2004 and went through surgery where they removed ovaries and a tumor. I had pleural effusion in my chest where the cancer had spread and had my chest drained four times. The chemo has taken care of that sothat I don't have to worry about my lungs collapsing anymore because of the effusion (fluid) and not being able to breathe. I was on chemo for 8 treatments of taxol and carboplatin and the ca`125 came down from 3,500 (after the first treatment) to 105 after the 8th treatment. My oncologist then changed me to Doxil because I had neuropathy in my hands and feet, but I wish he had continued for at least two more. After the first Doxil (chemo) my ca 125 went up from 105 to 168, which made me very unhappy. I already had the second Doxil treatment but won't find out until the third what the result of the 2nd was. (bummer) I don't like the Doxil because of burning on soles of feet and palms of hand and some rashes and blistering even inside mouth. My oncologist said he would give me 3 Doxil treatments and then go to something else. Many other patients seem to go to Topotecan next. Cisplatin also can causes neuropathy. If you want to research chemos for ovarian cancer, go to cancerbacup.org. There is a list of many possible chemos and you can print them out and research them. Good luck, Anita

Hi Gail F. If you have any information as to where the lab in California is that tests cancer cells with different chemicals, please let me know. Sounds like a great way to find out what will work on a particular cancer instead of all the different experiments on one's body for weeks or months. I hate to waste all that time and misery with side effects. Thanks, Anita

Hi Sigrid,
The name of the place is Oncotech. I'm not sure where it is in California. All I know is that is where my Oncologist sent my tumor samples for ovarian cancer. they showed that cisplatin and gemzar worked the best on my type of cancer. Good luck, Gail

Thank you for the information, Gail. I hope my Dr. will be willing to do it. Sigrid

Hi Gail. I found Oncotec, it's in Tustin, California. I'm curious to know if the cisplatin or gemzar is working for you. I need to get off the Doxil and Gemzar is one of the possible next treatment. Hope you are doing well and thanks again for the information. Sigrid

Hi again Sigrid,

The Gemzar and cisplatin worked great for me. I never took gemzar by itself. I started to get neuropothy from the cisplatin and was supposed to start on either gemzar or doxil. From what I've been reading about doxil - I'd opt for the Gemzar. I didn't have a lot of side effects from the gemzar. My ca 125 went down to 6.7 on the cisplatin and gemzar, and I only had 4 complete rounds of chemo. now I am in remission (I hope) so I am not on anything. Let me know what you do and I wish you the best. I hope that no matter what you do it works 100% for you.
Gail

Hi Gail. I'm happy to hear that your ca125 came down that far. After I started Doxil mine went up 53 points, but ater the second Doxil it came down to 112 and I was very pleased. I got the third Doxil treatment last week and won't find out what it did for another three weeks. I hope it worked as well as the second one. If it does, I will try one or two more of Doxil but thanks for the advise about Gemzar. I guess that will be my next one, but I can't take Cisplatin because of neuropathy. I really hope you will stay in remission. The Doxil isn't really all that bad. Thanks for the information. Sigrid