Over time, your treatment may not work as well as it did before, and your ovarian cancer may get worse (progress) or come back (recur). When your chemotherapy agent doesn’t work as well as intended, this is called chemotherapy resistance.
Platinum resistance is when your cancer doesn't respond well to or recurs after platinum-based chemotherapy
Therefore, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer is the term used when the cancer progresses or recurs within 6 months of treatment with a platinum-based chemotherapy.
Cortisol, commonly known as “the stress hormone,” is a natural hormone in the body and is responsible for different things, like regulating your metabolism and managing how your body responds to stress.
Cortisol activity may also affect how well certain chemotherapy agents work in ovarian cancer cells.
Cortisol binds to a molecule called the glucocorticoid receptor.
Cortisol attaches to the glucocorticoid receptor like a key in a lock. In ovarian cancer cells, this turns on a series of signals, which can cause certain chemotherapy treatments to become less effective. This can happen even with normal levels of cortisol in the body.
Understanding how cortisol and glucocorticoid receptors interact with ovarian cancer cells may help oncologists understand why some chemotherapies may not work for women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.Ovarian cancer and the results of your treatment are complex. Chemotherapy resistance is not your fault, and you have a care team to help explore your options moving forward.
There are several ways your oncologist can respond to chemotherapy resistance, including switching your therapy. Some of today’s options in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer require testing for a biomarker—a gene or a protein in your cancer cells—that indicates the treatment may work. While there is an opportunity for additional treatment in women who were positively screened for biomarkers, researchers are looking to expand opportunities for all women.
In addition to your medical care team, loved ones and caregivers, community ovarian cancer groups, and even your own mindset will play a huge role in advocating for and supporting you.
Betul’s advice to women with recurrence
Hear from Betul who has been living with ovarian cancer for almost three years
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