Your Everyday Guide to Living Well With Ovarian Cancer

An ovarian cancer diagnosis may change every aspect of life, from the choices you make about diet and exercise to treatment and intimacy.

Diet

Exercise

Infectious Illnesses

Common infections, such as a cold or flu, can have a greater impact on people with ovarian cancer. “Patients undergoing ovarian cancer treatment have weaker immune systems and an increased risk for infection,” says Kalyan Banda, MD, an assistant professor of medical oncology at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. “It makes even common infections like colds, flu, or pneumonia riskier, because if you’re in the middle of chemo or other treatment, the symptoms can last longer, become more severe, lead to hospital stays, and potentially delay your cancer treatment.”

If you do get sick, tell your doctor right away, says Banda. “If you get a fever, chills, or cough, let your doctor know, because during treatment, a small infection can get out of hand,” he says.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Before trying any complementary interventions, be sure to talk to your ovarian cancer care team to prevent adverse effects or a disruption to treatment.

• Gynecologic oncologist
• Radiation oncologist
• Medical oncologist
• Nurse practitioner
• Oncology social workers
• Dietitian or nutritionist
  

Gynecologic Oncologist

Radiation Oncologist

Medical Oncologist

Nurse Practitioner

Oncology Social Workers

Dietitian or Nutritionist

Living with ovarian cancer can be emotionally challenging. These tips will allow you to better manage issues that may arise from receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer and undergoing treatment for it.

Cope With Anxiety and Depression

“A lot of cancer centers now have psychologists, therapists, social workers who are dedicated to people with cancer. ... Any sort of counseling and therapy is always a great idea,” says Banda.

Undergoing ovarian cancer treatment can divert focus from the people you care about. In some cases, that can make relationships more difficult, while in others, it can strengthen relationships. “Cancer can bring a lot of emotional strain to relationships … [such as] fear, anxiety, depression, anger. All that is completely normal,” says Banda. “Finding ways to cope with a diagnosis and maintain relationships through treatment and beyond is vital to maintaining good mental health.”

Connecting with people, whether a friend, romantic partner, or family member, is one of the most important ways to build resilience and thrive after a cancer diagnosis, says Banda. But many people tend to withdraw when they’re sad or upset, just when they would benefit from others’ support. “Many cancer patients feel like they don’t want to impose their burden on anybody else. They don’t want people looking at them and feeling sad,” says Banda. “So it can become very isolating.”

If you’ve had these thoughts, Banda suggests doing the exact opposite. “Build a community, whether it’s an online or in-person support group, your family, or your friends. … We are all social animals, and that makes a huge difference to whether or not people thrive after a cancer diagnosis.”

Friendships and Ovarian Cancer

Romantic Relationships and Ovarian Cancer

Plans for Starting a Family After Ovarian Cancer

Dating With Ovarian Cancer

Sex Life and Ovarian Cancer

• Surgery, often in combination with chemotherapy, is the most common treatment for most ovarian cancers. The extent of the surgery — whether it involves removing one or both ovaries and the uterus, for example — will depend on factors such as how much the cancer has spread and your general health.

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• Chemotherapy consists of combinations of drugs that kill or slow the growth of cancer cells.

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• Immunotherapy boosts the immune system’s ability to fight the disease.

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• Targeted therapy alters the way cancer cells function, including how they interact with other cells. Targeted therapy drugs that have been approved for use in some types of ovarian cancer include bevacizumab (Avastin), mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx (Elahere), and rucaparib camsylate (Rubraca).

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• Hormone therapy uses hormones or hormone-blocking drugs to cut off hormones that fuel cancer growth.

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Living with ovarian cancer comes with many direct and indirect expenses.

Medication Prices for Ovarian Cancer

Some organizations, such as NeedyMeds, provide information on drug assistance programs and have their own drug discount cards. Others, such as Patient Access Network Foundation, offer copay assistance to people with cancer who have insurance but can’t afford out-of-pocket costs.

Work Life When You’re Living With Ovarian Cancer

Balancing work and ovarian cancer presents a major challenge for many people. The initial decision is whether to continue working through treatment or take time off. This depends on your employer’s expectations and your ability to take time off. It’s a good idea to consult your healthcare team about your responsibilities at work and whether they believe you’ll be able to fulfill them.

If you do work while undergoing treatment, consider when you will need to take medication, for instance, to prevent the side effects from interfering with your ability to work. Organizations such as Cancer and Careers also offer a variety of resources about working during treatment and returning to work after treatment.

Disability Pay for Ovarian Cancer

Anyone living with late-stage ovarian cancer is eligible to apply for disability benefits provided by the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowances. In particular, the service is open to those who have worked long enough and paid taxes but can no longer meet job demands due to cancer. It’s not a simple process, but the program may provide a safety net. You can determine if you have worked long enough to apply using Social Security’s guidelines.

Clinical trials allow researchers to use human volunteers to evaluate new ways to detect, prevent, or treat disease.

How to Find a Clinical Trial for Ovarian Cancer

The website ClinicalTrials.gov, maintained by the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, is a searchable database of studies taking place in 50 states and over 200 countries. These include cancer studies supported by the National Cancer Institute, as well as those sponsored by biotech and pharmaceutical companies. The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance also has a Clinical Trial Navigator and guide on their site.

What to Consider Before Applying for a Clinical Trial

• Most cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed at later stages, making treatment and recovery challenging.
• Managing life with ovarian cancer often requires adjustments to diet, exercise, infection prevention, and more. Treatments may include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and targeted therapy.
• Optimum management of ovarian cancer can include communicating with a team of healthcare specialists, getting support from loved ones and in the workplace, and learning about ongoing research and advances in ovarian cancer research and treatment.