Basically there are three major types of treatments for ovarian cancer. They are radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. The treatment processes may also be various combinations of these basic treatments.

• Radiotherapy treatment is used to destroy the cancer cells by high energy radiation exposure.
• Chemotherapy is a form of treatment used to treat it to destroy cancer cells using strong cancer fighting drugs.
• Treatment with surgery is used to remove tissue affected by the cancer. Surgery is most often required when treating ovarian cancer.

Although not commonly used, radiotherapy must include all cancer cells within the radiation field and abdominal organs to be effective. Many women are diagnosed when the cancer is in the later stages, and then when treatment for ovarian cancer is sought the abdominal organs may not be able to withstand the doses of radiation required to destroy all tumorous tissue. If the cancer is confined to one or both ovaries and has not spread to the abdominal organs, radiotherapy can be an effective option for treating this cancer.

Another treatment option for it is chemotherapy. This involves using powerful drugs to destroy cancerous cells. While these drugs stop cancer cells from dividing rapidly and growing they can also damage normal cells.

Most women, in addition to other treatment, will undergo surgery as part of their treatment plan. It is not uncommon for surgery to be used in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Removal of cancerous tissue is connected with improved survival rates so surgery is particularly significant in the treatment of ovarian cancer. It also enables the physician to accurately make a diagnosis, stage the tumor as well as remove as much of the tumor mass as possible.

These are the basic treatments commonly used for treatment of ovarian cancer. They may be used alone or in combination with one another. The stage of cancer, histopathologic type, and grade of disease, patient's health and age are all factored in when a decision for treatment is made. Before undergoing a certain treatment program it is normally advisable to get a second opinion.