Radiation therapy for ovarian cancer

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy is rarely used to treat ovarian cancer. It’s also rarely given for fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers, which are very similar to ovarian cancer. These cancers start in the same tissue as most ovarian cancers and are staged and treated the same way. If you have radiation therapy, your healthcare team will use what they know about the cancer and about your health to plan the type and amount of radiation, and when and how it is given.

You may have radiation therapy to:

• treat the cancer if you cannot have chemotherapy
• treat cancer that has come back (recurred) or spread (metastasized)
• relieve pain or control the symptoms of advanced cancer (called palliative radiotherapy)

External radiation therapy is the type of radiation therapy most commonly used to treat ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. During external radiation therapy, a machine directs radiation through the skin to the tumour and some of the tissue around it. External radiation therapy is also called external beam radiation therapy. External radiation therapy may be used if cancer has spread to distant organs. It may help with pain caused by cancer, or help stop or slow the cancer cells from spreading further.

During radiation therapy, your healthcare team protects healthy cells in the treatment area as much as possible. Side effects of radiation therapy will depend mainly on the size of the area being treated, the specific area or organs being treated, the total dose of radiation and the treatment schedule. Tell your healthcare team if you have side effects that you think are from radiation therapy. The sooner you tell them of any problems, the sooner they can suggest ways to help you deal with them.

Some common side effects of radiation therapy used for ovarian cancer are:

• fatigue
• skin problems
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• excessive gas
• bladder problems including discomfort, the urge to urinate often, and bleeding
• vaginal irritation and discharge
• treatment-induced menopause

Tell your healthcare team if you have these side effects or others you think might be from radiation therapy. The sooner you tell them of any problems, the sooner they can suggest ways to help you deal with them.

Find out more about radiation therapy and the side effects of radiation therapy. To make the decisions that are right for you, ask your healthcare team questions about radiation therapy.