Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: What to Expect & Why a “Port” is Important

Usually, the infusion itself will take place in the morning, Dr. Carlson says, and will last three or four hours. Before the infusion, doctors will run a series of labs to make sure that the patient’s white blood cell count is high enough to receive chemotherapy.

For many women receiving chemotherapy, Dr. Carlson says, the drugs will be administered through what’s called a “MetaPort,” which is an access area implanted under the skin of the chest. This allows the chemo drugs to be easily given straight into one of the large veins near the heart.

“I recommend that most patients get a Mediport,” Dr. Carlson says. “This allows easy access for nurses. It makes life easier for the patient, just because they don’t have to start an IV for every time that the patient comes in for chemotherapy.”

The worst of the side effects usually subside about four or five days after the infusion, Dr. Carlson says, although every woman’s experience is a bit different.

What if Chemo Doesn’t Work?

Ovarian cancer can be really difficult to treat and often comes back even after a successful treatment. When it does return, it may be more aggressive and resistant to traditional platinum-based chemotherapies.

For some women, a promising new treatment called Elahere (generic name mirvetuximab soravtansine) may be an option. Elahere was given emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023.

Phase III clinical trials showed that the drug was effective at treating some patients who had become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapies.

The drug targets the folate receptor alpha (FRα) protein present on the tumor cell surface. Up to 80% of new and recurrent ovarian cancers may carry this protein (FRα levels tend to be higher in more aggressive ovarian cancers).

The accelerated approval was based on a rigorous clinical trial called SORAYA, which showed effectiveness at suppressing cancer growth in at least one-third of patients.

The drug, which is part antibody and part chemotherapy, is expected to be given full approval in the U.S. after promising new data from another trial, MIRASOL, was released in May 2023.

The findings indicate that patients with ovarian cancer should speak to their doctors about testing for the FRα protein and see if they are eligible for this ground-breaking new treatment.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

---