The Ovarian Cancer Support Center

The Journey:
Just Found Out
Dealing With It
Recover & Thrive
Worst Case

Facing the Initial Impact of Ovarian Cancer

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Ovarian Cancer

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like ovarian cancer, you are never alone.  Countless women have faced exactly the same diagnosis and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge. 

TSC has scoured the Web to assemble links to the very best ovarian cancer resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional, and other challenges you're facing now.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this ovarian cancer guide even more helpful to survivors like you.  

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Ovarian Cancer

The Big Picture

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the tissue of the ovary. Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas (cancer that starts in the cells on the ovary's surface) or malignant germ cell tumors (cancer that begins in the cells of the ova, or eggs). These sources can give you a good overview of ovarian cancer as you begin your survivor journey:

Your Ovarian Cancer

To better understand your diagnosis and treatment for ovarian cancer start here:

With a diagnosis as serious as ovarian cancer - and ovarian cancer is not easy to diagnose correctly - you may well want another medical opinion: 

Do you know the signs of ovarian cancer? They can be difficult to spot, but here's some guidance:

NCI: Symptoms

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Your World

The word "cancer" brings so many images to our minds and triggers many emotions. This is a natural response -- you will feel scared, angry, frustrated, confused, overwhelmed, sad, and much more as you go through this journey. Here are some ways to help you cope now, as a woman who's just been diagnosed: 

Talking about your diagnosis with those close to you will probably not be easy. If you’re having trouble finding the words, this resource may help:

Myths About Ovarian Cancer

One of the biggest myths about ovarian cancer is that women don't survive the disease: This is not true. Read on for more common myths and the correct information you need to know now:

BreastCancer.org - Ovarian Cancer Myths and Facts

Dealing With Ovarian Cancer

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Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

Types of Treatment

The treatments you choose with your doctor(s) will depend on the type of ovarian cancer you have and the stage of your tumor:

Surgery

Surgery is very likely to be part of your treatment and may range from the surgical removal of the tumor to a complete hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes):

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery:

Radiation Therapy

Radiation is a less-used treatment for ovarian cancer:

Possible Treatment Side Effects

Surgery requires a recovery period, and there is always a risk of complications. Similarily, the drugs you're given for chemotherapy come with the risk of side effects: 

Holistic Treatments

Creating a Support Circle

  • Set up your TSC survivor profile.
  • Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own.
  • Interact and provide updates on your TSC profile or in the TSC forums.

    • Insurance & Work Matters

    Go here to find excellent information on legal and insurance issues: The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

    Resources to Find Doctors and Cancer Treatment Centers

    (Studies show women with ovarian cancer fare better when treated by a gynecologic oncologist.)

    The Emotional Rollercoaster

    Dealing with ovarian cancer will take a great deal out of you, emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. Give yourself permission to feel that full range of emotion and be kind to yourself, treating yourself with as much compassion as you can. Allow yourself to lean on others when you need to, to cry on someone else’s shoulder, or let friends take you to lunch or a movie. There is no one way to feel about having cancer, nor is there only one way to experience it. This is your experience and your journey. Some people find writing down their feelings or keeping a journal to be helpful. Others find doing something good for themselves once a day to be a way to remind themselves of how good it is to be alive. Find your own way of expressing yourself and your feelings.

    Books Survivors Recommend

    Communicating with Your Health-care Providers

    • One of the keys to coping with cancer is communication with your doctors and other health-care professionals; the more you know and understand, the better equipped you are to deal with this.
    • Make a list of questions and concerns you have for your various providers; consider taking a small notebook with you to treatments or appointments and write down important points you want to remember.
    • Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions! It’s your right to know. When you’re informed, you can make better choices.
    • Do your research – when you have the time and energy, use the library and Web and look up information you're curious about.
    • Remember that your health-care providers are there for you. Their job is to take care of you, so don’t be shy about askingask them for everything you need to help you heal.

    Dealing with Ovarian Cancer: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors        

    • Keep life as normal as possible: Ovarian cancer is a true health crisis, but it's important to keep your and your survivor's daily routine as normal as possible, and to include your loved one as much as you can in your usual activities and plans. The disease should not become the focus of your lives, but just a part of it.
    • Acknowledge the pain and loss: Cancer is not only emotionally painful, it’s physically difficult as well, especially if side effects are worse than expected. Acknowledge what your loved one is going through and listen to the best of your ability.
    • Communicate: Talking about things often helps both your survivor and those around her. Keep the channels of communication open – don’t be afraid to discuss the more difficult topics that may come up.
    • Honor your loved one's choices:  Choices about treatment options can sometimes be difficult. Let your partner/spouse, family member or friend know you’re there for them and will respect their decisions.

    Recover & Thrive

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    You have recovered from ovarian cancer and are probably feeling ready to move into survivorship and your life after cancer. What happens now? These resources can help you navigate this next period in your life, as a new survivor:

    Recurrence

    Sometimes, ovarian cancer does return. This can be devastating news to receive. Read on for first-rate sources to help you deal with a recurrence of ovarian cancer, as well as good advice about prevention:

    Worst Case

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    Sometimes, the worst-case scenario happens and ovarian cancer becomes terminal. If your treatments are not working and you feel that you’ve run out of options, there are resources and support available for you and your family and friends to help you plan, prepare, and cope:

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