Ovarian Cancer Support

Women who have completed treatment usually return for checkups every three months for the first two years, and then every six months thereafter. At these appointments, our doctors may use imaging tests or CA-125 blood tests to make sure the cancer hasn’t returned. They may also encourage you to take advantage of our supportive services as part of your survivorship.

Immediately after ovarian cancer surgery, doctors at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation prescribe physical therapy to help get you moving and ready to go home. Our doctors can also prescribe medications for any postoperative pain that may affect your mobility.

After a consultation with you, a doctor at Rusk Rehabilitation can recommend an outpatient physical therapy program that includes strength training and aerobic exercise to address any cancer- or treatment-related weakness and fatigue. The exercise program can also improve your balance, flexibility, and mobility, which may be affected by cancer surgery.

Neuropathy, a common side effect of chemotherapy, leads to nerve damage, which can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness, often in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Doctors at Rusk Rehabilitation prescribe medications to ease neuropathy-related discomfort and physical therapy to prevent the condition from interfering with your balance and strength.

If your lymph nodes were removed during surgery, the pelvis’s lymph vessels—tubes that carry infection-fighting fluid throughout the body—can cause lymph fluid to build up in the tissues, leading to swelling and discomfort in the legs.

Doctors at Rusk Rehabilitation can prescribe physical therapy and show you how to prevent the development of lymphedema after surgery—for example, by wearing compression stockings on your legs. They can also ensure that you’re aware of the early warning signs of the condition, such as aching, tingling, or a feeling of fullness in the groin, legs, or feet. The sooner management starts, the less likely you are to develop lymphedema.

Our doctors encourage healthful eating before, during, and after treatment for ovarian cancer. Registered oncology dietitians at Perlmutter Cancer Center can work with you to assess your diet and provide nutrition education and counseling.

Specialists at Perlmutter Cancer Center offer a variety of integrative health services, which can help women with ovarian cancer feel better during and after treatment. These services include massage therapy, which can help reduce stress, and acupuncture, which may relieve hot flashes associated with some medications or menopause and radiation-related fatigue.

Perlmutter Cancer Center provides individual counseling sessions and support groups for women with gynecologic cancers, as well as group meetings for those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations or others. Psychological support can be a valuable part of dealing with any concerns or anxieties that may arise.

You may be eligible for a clinical trial to test promising new treatments, such as immunotherapy, for ovarian cancer. You and your doctor can discuss whether a clinical trial may be right for you.