Ovarian cancer is the abnormal growth of rapidly multiplying cells in your ovaries. This type of cancer is hard to detect in the early stages as it shows little to no symptoms of existing until it spreads to the stomach and pelvis, by which time it is usually impossible to cure. Fortunately, advancements in medical science and awareness are leading to the number of women acquiring this type of cancer gradually decreasing. There are many methods to treat it and this article talks about targeted therapy and hormone therapy specifically.

Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is one of the types of ovarian cancer treatments that involves the use of drugs to eliminate the tumor and the traces of malignant cells after a surgical procedure or radiation therapy. It is better than chemotherapy in the sense of affecting only the cancer cells and not the healthy cells surrounding it. Given below are some of the drugs used in this treatment procedure for ovarian cancer.

• Bevacizumab: Bevacizumab is classified under the class of drugs named “angiogenesis inhibitors”. It attaches itself to VEGF, which is a protein that facilitates the growth of new blood vessels that are needed by the cancer cells to grow and spread. It then slows or stops cancer growth. This drug seems to work better when administered along with chemotherapy and it is given through an IV every other week. Side effects include fatigue, headaches, mouth sores, bleeding, etc.
• PARP inhibitors: Olaparib, rucaparib, and niraparib are drugs that are collectively called PARP inhibitors. These drugs help to heal the damaged DNA in cells. They are taken in the form of capsules or pills. Olaparib and rucaparib are drugs used to treat advanced ovarian cancer post treatment via chemotherapy.

Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is a type of systemic cancer treatment that involves the use of hormones or hormone-blocking inhibitors to attack cancer cells. It is more often used as a treatment against ovarian stromal tumors than the common epithelial ovarian cancer.

• Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists: LRHR agonists inhibit the production of estrogen by the ovaries and lower their levels. Some of the drugs that come under LHRH agonists are goserelin and leuprolide. These inhibitors are injected into your body approximately once every two months. Their side effects are symptoms of menopause (hot flashes and vaginal dryness). There are chances of developing osteoporosis due to the weakening of your bones when this treatment is administered over a long period of time.
• Tamoxifen: Tamoxifen is a drug that is commonly used to treat breast cancer and may sometimes also be employed to treat ovarian stromal cancer and, in rare cases, epithelial ovarian cancer. The goal of this drug is to keep the estrogen in the woman’s body from inducing the growth of cancer cells. Side effects include vaginal dryness and hot flashes but there is no bone weakening. However, the chances of developing blood clots in your leg are high.
• Aromatase inhibitors: These are drugs that block aromatase — an enzyme that in post-menopausal women converts other hormones to estrogen. They can be used to treat tumors that have returned after other treatments. These are taken once a day as pills. Side effects of these drugs include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bone thinning (which may cause osteoporosis), muscle pain, and joint aches.