Higher survival rate of ovarian cancer with IV/IP treatment

ISHPEMING — Dual–delivery treatment may improve survival rates of women with Ovarian Cancer. ABC Ten’s Sarah Mac has more on what the treatments involves and how it could help.

When Terry Wiencek was diagnosed with advanced Ovarian Cancer she found solace in her backyard garden. Terry’s cancer was stage three and says she thought that she would be in treatment for the long haul, but after a few months of dual–delivery treatment she heard some unexpected news.

Terry says, “At that point he said, ‘Yeah, you know, it looks like everything’s good, I mean officially in remission, as much as you can say that, and just continue to check up on things.'”

A new study from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Solove Research Institute found that in advanced stages of Ovarian Cancer patients could get in–and–out of treatment, like Terry, if they had dual–delivery chemotherapy treatment. This means that after surgery the patient would receive a dose of chemo through IV and then later have another dose injected into the abdomen through IP. One of the doctors who helped conduct the study, Dr. David O’Malley says that the method is highly effective.

“If we’re able to remove all the disease at the time of surgery that we can see or feel,” Dr. O’Malley added, “and then we use intraperitoneal chemotherapy, one half of the women are alive at 10 years.”

The study found that the three year survival rate for women treated with dual–delivery went from 71 to 81–percent – a 10 point jump. However the study also found that at six large academic medical centers, less than half of eligible patients received this treatment.

So if it’s so effective, why don’t more doctors use it?

O’Malley says sometimes it’s because the patients don’t want to try it, thinking there would be more side effects, but he says that’s not always the case. Terry says to her the decision was easy.

“It makes sense,” Terry added, “I mean to think like you put the chemo right into where the cancer was, I think that’s just brilliant.”

Dual–Delivery treatment may not be right for every case, but Dr. O’Malley says at least it’s another option on the table.

“This message is not only for physicians,” Dr. O’Malley added, “but it’s for patients. patients need to understand what their options are. They need to have a shared decision-making with their physician.”