Ovarian cancer

Prevention, early detection, morbidity, and survival issues continue to challenge health professionals involved in the care of women with ovarian cancer. While advances in diagnosis, staging, and treatment have been made, survival rates remain grim. Continuing research in the areas of screening, diagnosis, and treatment is the key to improved survival. The hope of new drug therapy, such as cisplatin-taxol regimens, intraperitoneal therapy, immunotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation, needs further investigation to become reality. As new and potentially more toxic regimens are developed, the nurse must be knowledgeable about the therapies and adverse effects, and maintain a high level of clinical expertise in order to teach the patient, reinforce information, clarify misconceptions, and provide the patient with supportive physical and emotional care.