Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers, and it is in agreement with extremely high mortality rates as a result of late diagnosis and a high rate of recurrence. Ovarian cancer is also called the “silent killer” because the initial symptoms are nonspecific and can be easily mistaken for mild abdominal or menstrual cramps. The cancer arises when already in its advanced stage, hence making it hard to treat.
Conventional treatments like surgery and chemotherapy have so far been the mainstays of ovarian cancer treatment. These are perhaps not great at preventing recurrence, however. There has therefore increasingly been keen interest in the potential for immunotherapy, a novel form of therapy that exploits the human body’s immune mechanisms against cancer cells.
This article talks about the use of immunotherapy to cure ovarian cancer, its advantages and disadvantages, and how oncologists such as Dr. Vikesh Shah, a prominent immunotherapist in India, are revolutionizing the way treatment protocols are designed. We also discuss why immunotherapy is becoming increasingly popular in Ahmedabad, a city that has become a hub of excellence for cancer care.
Learning About Ovarian Cancer and Its Challenges
Ovarian cancer is found in the ovaries, which also contain eggs and important hormones like estrogen and progesterone. There are different types of cancer, and out of all the kinds of cancer that are present, the most prevalent kind is epithelial ovarian cancer, which represents nearly 90% of cancers in general. The rest are less common but equally important kinds, like germ cell tumors and stromal cell tumors.
What Ovarian Cancer Has in Common as Symptoms
- Recurring bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Urine frequency
- Bloating and shortness of breath within minutes of eating
- Unintended weight loss
- Change of bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea)
- Weakness
All these symptoms occur later; thus, the early diagnosis isn’t feasible.
Risk Factors of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer risk is increased by numerous factors such as:
- Genetic Mutations: BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations significantly increase the risk.
- Family History: First-degree relatives with ovarian, colon, or breast cancer have an increased risk.
- Age: Risk increases with age, especially after menopause.
- Endometriosis: It carries a risk of ovarian cancer.
- Hormonal Factors: A history of prolonged hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and early menarche or late menopause may be risk-promoting.
Due to these risk factors and the fact that early detection is not easy, new therapies like immunotherapy are being explored to enhance patient survival.
Current Strategies in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer
1. Surgery
The initial treatment for ovarian cancer is usually surgery to eliminate the tumor.
- Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes in most cases).
2. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is usually administered after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
- Platinum medications such as carboplatin and cisplatin are utilized most frequently.
- Initially, ovarian cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy but later becomes resistant.
3. Targeted Therapy
- Targeted drugs such as PARP inhibitors (such as olaparib) are for BRCA mutation patients.
- The medications directly target cancer cell DNA repair mechanisms.
Ovarian cancer is difficult to treat, even when these are utilized, especially recurrence. This has created a lot of interest in immunotherapy as a game-changer.
What Is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that taps the immune system’s potential to kill cancer cells by activating it. While chemotherapy kills all rapidly dividing cells (the good and the bad), immunotherapy attempts to unleash the killing potential of the immune system on the cancer cells.
How Immunotherapy Works
Cancer cells can try to evade immune detection by producing immune-suppressive proteins. Immunotherapy does the exact opposite by
- Preventing immune checkpoint cancer cells from hiding behind.
- Increasing the immune attack to kill cancer cells.
- Inducing long-term immunity, recurrence is less likely.
Types of Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
1. Checkpoint Inhibitors
- Cancer cells use checkpoint proteins such as PD-L1 to evade immune attack.
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and other drugs block these proteins so immune cells can kill the cancer.
- Checkpoint inhibitors have benefited patients with elevated biomarker levels.
2. Cancer Vaccines
- Experimental ovarian cancer vaccines try to teach the immune system to identify and kill cancer cells.
- Experimental vaccines are being tested in clinical trials and could be a great choice in the future.
3. Monoclonal Antibodies
- Man-made antibodies created in the lab that bind to cancer cells, tagging them for destruction by the immune system.
- Bevacizumab (Avastin) is a monoclonal antibody for cancer of the ovary that targets cancer.
4. Adoptive T-Cell Therapy
- It involves taking a patient’s T-cells out, re-designing them to recognize cancer more colorfully, and putting them back into the patient.
- CAR-T cell therapy, while experimental for ovarian cancer, has worked in trials.
Effectiveness of Immunotherapy in Ovarian Cancer
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment for some cancers but is still under investigation regarding its ability to cure ovarian cancer.
Variables Affecting Immunotherapy Outcome
- Tumor Microenvironment: The tumor cells establish a microenvironment that suppresses immune function.
- Genetic Mutations: Certain patients have certain genetic markers that render them hypersensitive to immunotherapy.
- Combination Therapies: Immunotherapy is most effective as an adjuvant therapy in combination with chemotherapy or targeted therapy.
Dr. Vikash Shah’s Contribution To Immunotherapy
As one of the most famous immunotherapists in India, Dr. Vikesh Shah is a pioneer in cancer immunotherapy studies. Through his clinic in personalized medicine, patients have been made available for the latest immunotherapy methods that are customized for their requirements.
Research interest field is:
- Maximizing appropriate patient selection for immunotherapy.
- Carrying out clinical trials to test new immunotherapy medicines for ovarian cancer.
Immunotherapy in Ahmedabad: Hub of New Cancer Therapy
Ahmedabad is becoming the hub of new cancer therapy, and top hospitals, clinics, and research centers provide immunotherapy. Patients visiting Ahmedabad for immunotherapy are offered
- World-class hospital infrastructure of state-of-the-art hospitals.
- Senior oncologists with top expertise in immunotherapy.
- Next-gen therapy facility through clinical trials.
An appointment with the most suitable expert in immunotherapy in Ahmedabad should be scheduled to get maximum benefit from therapy. Specialists like Dr. Vikesh Shah utilize personalized protocols for cancer therapies that result in survival and quality of life.
Advantages of Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer Patients
- Specific Action: Less damage to normal cells, fewer side effects, thus.
- Tailored Treatment: Genetic testing enables physicians to tailor the treatment to the individual case of an individual.
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the treatment of ovarian cancer, and again, hope burns for those patients who had none to begin with. While issues do still exist, they are disappearing as yet more research continues to be done, which increasingly makes immunotherapy more and more available and effective.
A world leader in what he does, Dr. Vikesh Shah never needs to run behind cancer treatment; he is always ahead with all the care in the world for the patients. For those in need of immunotherapy in Ahmedabad, a visit to a specialist doctor in immunotherapy in Ahmedabad will change their lives. Call us now and discover more about the immunotherapy treatment and how early treatment can maximize survival rates in ovarian cancer.