Targeted therapy drugs can target specific features of cancer cells to stop the cancer growing and spreading. These drugs are often recommended for more advanced ovarian cancer or ovarian cancer that has come back (recurred). Research shows that targeted therapy can achieve good results for some people.
Learn more about:
- When will targeted therapy be offered?
- PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer
- Side effects of targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy for ovarian cancer
- Video: What is targeted therapy?
- Podcast: What are targeted therapy and immunotherapy?
When will targeted therapy be offered?
Whether you are offered targeted therapy drugs will depend on:
- the type of ovarian cancer you have
- other treatments you’ve already had and if they’ve worked
- whether you have a particular gene change that may respond to targeted therapy drugs.
PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer
Targeted therapy for ovarian cancer often includes medicines called PARP inhibitors. These are now regularly used in Australia for people whose cancer has certain gene changes. Your treatment team will discuss whether this approach is suitable for you.
Side effects of targeted therapy
While damage to healthy cells is limited, targeted therapy can still have side effects, and these can occasionally be very serious. The most common side effects include nausea, fatigue, diarrhoea and low blood cell counts. More serious side effects include bone marrow problems. It is important to tell your doctor about any new or worsening side effects.
For more on this, see our general section on Targeted therapy.
Immunotherapy for ovarian cancer
Immunotherapy is a type of drug treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
In Australia, immunotherapy drugs are currently available as treatment options for some types of cancer, such as melanoma and lung cancer.
At present, immunotherapy has not been proven to help treat ovarian cancer. Clinical trials testing immunotherapy drugs for treating ovarian cancer are under way in Australia and overseas.
You can ask your treatment team for the latest updates and if there are any clinical trials that would be suitable for you.
For more on this, see our general section on Immunotherapy.
→ READ MORE: Radiation therapy for ovarian cancer
Video: What is targeted therapy?
Watch this short video to learn more about drug therapies, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy (Open Settings 
to turn on auto-generated subtitles in your language).
Podcast: Immunotherapy & Targeted Therapy
More resources
Dr Antonia Jones, Gynaecological Oncologist, The Royal Women’s Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women, VIC. This edition is based on the previous edition, which was reviewed by Dr Antonia Jones (see above); Dr George Au-Yeung, Medical Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Centre, VIC; Dr David Chang, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Prof Anna DeFazio AM, Sydney West Chair of Translational Cancer Research, The University of Sydney, Director, Centre for Cancer Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research and Director, Sydney Cancer Partners, NSW; Ian Dennis, Consumer (Carer); A/Prof Simon Hyde, Head of Gynaecological Oncology, Mercy Hospital for Women, VIC; Carmel McCarthy, Consumer; Quintina Reyes, Clinical Nurse Consultant – Gynaecological Oncology, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Deb Roffe, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA.
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