Skip to content
Financial costs of ovarian cancer treatment

Ovarian Cancer Treatment Costs

Getting ovarian cancer support is vital as you face treatment for this disease. The last thing you need is to worry about issues with ovarian cancer treatment costs.

So that you can focus on your health, we break down typical costs, explain some of the details of insurance and point you to specific programs that can help cover expenses like medications, procedures and travel to treatment. Financial help for ovarian cancer patients is available, and knowing where to look can make a difference.

Written by: Lisa Merriam | Medical review by: Dr. Danielle K. Miller, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN | Legal review by: Jamie Pfeiffer, JD |

Updated on:Jul 24, 2025

What costs to expect with ovarian cancer treatment

The cost of ovarian cancer treatment depends on the specifics of your situation. The type and stage of your cancer, your treatment plan, your insurance coverage and where you get care all play a role in determining your ovarian cancer treatment costs. Unexpected extra expenses add up as well, like travel to get treatment, home care, over-the-counter drugs, co-pays and out-of-network charges.

One of the first things to do is to research what your insurance covers, including the amount of co-pays, coverage caps, deductibles and more. Understanding your benefits is the first step to knowing what ovarian cancer financial assistance programs you may qualify for. Another important consideration is protecting your job and your income while taking time off for treatment. Medical leave, disability benefits and workplace accommodations can help you stay financially stable while you focus on your health.

Find out if your ovarian cancer may be linked to exposure to a dangerous product

“Regular use of products like talcum powder and chemical hair straighteners has been connected to a higher risk of ovarian cancer. These risks often weren’t widely known or shared, leaving many women unaware of the potential danger. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after routine use of either of these products, you might be eligible to take legal action and seek compensation.”

Learn more about the potential connection between ovarian cancer and exposure to talcum powder use:

— Jamie Pfeiffer, JD, Medical Contributor
Explore Talcum Powder Risks

The average cost for ovarian cancer treatment

A study using data from 2015 to 2020 found that the expenses for ovarian cancer care are highest during the first six months of treatment, averaging around $200,000. Ongoing care after the initial phase of treatment ranges from $26,000 to $88,000 annually. In the final six months of care, treatment typically totals about $129,000.

The cost of ovarian cancer treatment varies widely, and what you’ll pay depends on several factors. You may need to consider the cost of ovarian cancer surgery, chemotherapy and potential fertility preservation measures. It’s also important to account for out-of-pocket costs, such as transportation to appointments, childcare and other non-medical expenses.

What factors will impact my ovarian cancer treatment costs?

The cost of ovarian cancer treatment can be hard to pin down because so many factors influence what you’ll pay. Understanding those factors now can help you set a realistic budget and access financial assistance sooner rather than later in order to get ovarian cancer support early in your diagnosis. You’ll need to consider the stage of your cancer, what your insurance will cover and which treatments make sense for you. You may have co-pays, deductibles, coinsurance and coverage caps to deal with.

It’s also important to budget for costs that go beyond the treatments themselves. Traveling to a specialist or cancer center can mean paying for gas, flights, hotel stays and meals away from home. You may need to pay a caregiver, babysitter or pet sitter, as well as hire someone to help with cleaning, laundry and other chores around the house. These extra costs are easy to overlook or underestimate, but they add up fast.

Here, we provide some details about ovarian cancer treatment cost by type, including the hidden costs. With this information, you can budget accordingly and explore your options for financial assistance.

More information about ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer warning signs & symptoms
Early warning signs of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer warning signs & symptoms

Here are the warning signs of ovarian cancer. The earlier you discover it, the more options you have and the better your potential outcome.

Read more
Just diagnosed with ovarian cancer: Now what?
Diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Just diagnosed with ovarian cancer: Now what?

An ovarian cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but understanding what comes next can help those feelings. Get the details here.

Read more
Caring for someone with ovarian cancer
Support for someone with ovarian cancer.

Caring for someone with ovarian cancer

Here are caregiver tips to help you give a loved one with ovarian cancer the very best support.

Read more

Costs of ovarian cancer progression

A line of therapy is a combination of drugs and procedures designed to either cure your ovarian cancer or reduce it and stop it from growing and spreading. First-line therapies are the standard treatments that get the best results for most people. If this course of treatment doesn’t work or if the cancer comes back, your care team may try more aggressive options.

  • First-line therapy: Your care often begins with surgery to remove visible tumors. When tumors can’t be removed completely, surgeons perform a process called debulking to take out as much cancer as possible. After surgery, chemotherapy is used to kill remaining cancer cells. The most common regimen is paclitaxel plus carboplatin, which costs about $535 per cycle. If your doctor adds bevacizumab (Avastin), a targeted therapy, the cost can rise significantly to $3,700–$10,000 per cycle without insurance or financial assistance. This therapy is typically given every three weeks for about six cycles, but your cost will depend on your particular dosage and treatment setting.

  • Second-line therapy: If first-line treatment isn’t fully effective or if the cancer comes back, your doctor may recommend a different, often more aggressive, chemotherapy regimen to try to shrink the tumor and control symptoms. PARP inhibitors like olaparib (Lynparza) or niraparib (Zejula) are commonly prescribed. These drugs cost $15,000–$18,000 per month, which breaks down to about $3,800–$4,500 per cycle, depending on the medication and schedule. Second-line therapy can last for months based on how well you tolerate the prescribed treatment and how your cancer responds.

  • Third-line therapy: By this point, the cancer may be more resistant to standard chemotherapy, so alternative regimens and targeted drugs are often used to try to control the disease and maintain quality of life. Chemotherapy combined with targeted drugs like bevacizumab can cost $9,500–$10,000 per cycle. PARP inhibitors are still used in many cases and typically cost $13,500–$18,000 per month. Many patients at this point face significant financial strain, but assistance programs from drug manufacturers, non-profits and cancer centers can help.

  • Fourth-line or later: If your ovarian cancer has recurred or progressed despite three prior treatments, your doctor may discuss fourth-line therapy with you. At this point, the cancer is typically very resistant to standard approaches and the focus may shift from aggressive treatment to managing symptoms and preserving quality of life. Depending on your care goals, monthly treatment costs can range from $15,000 to $20,000 or more, particularly if you're receiving newer or less widely available medications. You may also qualify for clinical trials, which are usually provided at no cost. However, you may still be responsible for some related expenses like travel or certain tests, so be sure to clarify your costs.

Costs of ovarian cancer treatments.

How much is ovarian cancer chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer typically includes three to six cycles of various drugs, such as carboplatin, paclitaxel (Taxol), cisplatin and docetaxel (Taxotere). Which medications are used and whether they’re used in combination can affect how much you pay.

Other factors that influence your chemotherapy costs include your insurance coverage, prescribed dosage and treatment setting, as well as how many cycles are needed, whether generics or brand-name drugs are used, and how the drugs are administered. Costs can also rise significantly if you need additional medications to manage side effects.

How much does fertility preservation cost?

If you’re of childbearing age and hope to have children in the future, it’s important to plan ahead before starting treatment if possible. Surgery and certain chemotherapy drugs can make it difficult or even impossible to get pregnant later. Fertility preservation options can help protect your ability to build a family after treatment. You may choose to harvest and freeze eggs, create and store embryos or even preserve healthy ovarian tissue for future use.

Here are the average costs of these procedures to consider:

  • Freezing eggs: Called oocyte cryopreservation, it costs between $6,000 and $10,000 for each egg harvest cycle. Medication during this process runs between $3,000 and $5,000. You will need to pay a storage fee until you use your frozen eggs, which can run between $500 and $1,200 a year.

  • Freezing embryos: This process is more expensive. Freezing each round of embryos runs about $11,000. You will need tests in advance, which usually cost between $1,000 and $3,000. The sperm injection to fertilize eggs costs around $2,000. You will need genetic testing before your embryos are implanted, costing about $6,000. The cost to store frozen embryos is about the same as storing eggs, between $500 and $1,200 per year.

  • Ovarian tissue cryopreservation: It may be possible to remove a healthy ovary or a healthy portion of an ovary, freeze it and then implant it after your cancer treatment is complete. The cost for this procedure runs between $10,000 and $12,000, in addition to tissue storage costs of $300 to $500 a month.

How much will it cost me to get ovarian cancer surgery?

How much ovarian cancer surgery costs depends on the specific procedure and where it’s performed. For example, your expenses can differ significantly based on your location and whether you’re treated at a major cancer center or a community hospital. On average, surgery and hospitalization together cost about $30,700 before insurance.

It’s a good idea to speak with your surgeon’s office and hospital financial counselor before surgery to get a detailed estimate and explanation of what your insurance will and won’t cover. This information will help you plan for out-of-pocket expenses and find ovarian cancer financial assistance if needed.

Here are the average costs of common ovarian cancer surgeries to give you an idea of what you might pay:

  • A hysterectomy, or the removal of your uterus, has an average cost range of between $5,750 and $11,800.

  • The removal of one or both ovaries, called an oophorectomy, averages between $2,100 and $8,300.

  • Removal of your fallopian tubes along with your ovaries, called a Salpingo-oophorectomy, typically costs between $8,100 and $19,100.

What are the hidden costs of ovarian cancer?

Unexpected ovarian cancer expenses.

While insurance may cover a large chunk of your ovarian cancer treatment cost, you’ll still be responsible for handling some of the expenses. These unexpected or hidden costs add up quickly and can end up putting you under serious financial stress.

Here’s a list of typically overlooked expenses that you should put in your budget. When you’re getting financial assistance for ovarian cancer patients, it’s important to have as complete and detailed a financial picture as you can create.

  • Lost or reduced wages: You may not be able to work as much, if at all, when you’re getting treatments. Contact your employer’s HR department to see what options are available to you, such as short term disability, long term disability or a leave of absence.

  • Travel expenses: If you need to travel to specialists at a treatment center, factor in the cost of flights, driving, gasoline, parking, lodging and meals away from home.

  • Special diet and nutrition: Eating well is important for maintaining strength and fighting your cancer. You may end up having higher grocery bills, needing supplements or relying on meal delivery services.

  • Mental health care: You may experience shock when you receive your diagnosis. Then, you have to endure difficult treatments and manage the fear of burdening your loved ones and worrying about your future. The emotional toll of ovarian cancer is high. Therapy can be expensive, but it’s often worth it. You may also need prescription medications to help with anxiety, sleeplessness or depression.

  • Additional medications: You may need prescriptions to manage treatment side effects like nausea, pain or infections. You may also need over-the-counter items to help you stay comfortable.

  • Caregivers: You may need to pay for extra help, whether through having a visiting nurse assist you during this trying time or hiring someone to mow the lawn, do housework, care for your kids or feed your pets.

  • Fertility preservation: Freezing eggs, embryos or ovarian tissue is not cheap. Insurance often does not cover fertility preservation costs.

  • Financial or legal assistance: You may need legal help to file disability claims or deal with employment issues, which can be costly. However, if you have a valid claim against a company related to your use of a product linked to ovarian cancer, you may not have to pay out of pocket for legal representation.

Bearing the emotional weight of ovarian cancer

The emotional toll of ovarian cancer.

From the initial waves of fear, sadness, anger and uncertainty to the stress and frustration of treatment, you’ll likely experience strong emotions throughout your treatment journey. You may worry about your future, pressures on your loved ones and conflicts that arise from changing relationships.

  • You can end up feeling helpless and stressed. Mental and physical exhaustion make everything worse.

  • You may experience waves of fear and anxiety related to your projected outlook, a recurrence, or treatment side effects.

  • You may experience bouts of sadness or depression.

  • It’s normal to experience frustration and anger about finances, the health system, health complications and your overall loss of control.

  • You may feel guilty for not being able to fulfill your responsibilities or for burdening loved ones.

  • Your relationships can become strained as your loved ones also deal with their emotions and changing roles.

  • Being unable to work or participate socially as in the past can leave you isolated and feeling lonely. People can’t really understand what you're experiencing.

  • You may grieve the life, body or plans you once had and feel disconnected from who you were before your diagnosis.

  • The constant need to make decisions about your care and life can leave you feeling overwhelmed and mentally drained.

  • You may feel emotionally numb or detached at times as a way of coping with so much stress.

  • You may feel anger directed at yourself, your body, your caregivers, or even loved ones, which is a normal reaction to an unfair situation.

All of these emotions can feel overwhelming. You aren’t the first person to face this kind of diagnosis, and you’re not alone. Ovarian cancer support resources have evolved to help you deal with your feelings and your relationships. Seek out support groups, therapists and counselors, clergy or trusted friends. If you can share your feelings, you can help unburden yourself so that you can focus on fighting the cancer.

Could past exposure to a dangerous product be linked to your ovarian cancer?

“Emerging research shows that using talcum powder or chemical hair straighteners regularly could raise a person's risk of developing ovarian cancer. Because symptoms can take a long time to appear, many people don’t realize that these everyday products may have played a role in their illness. If you've received an ovarian cancer diagnosis, you might have the option to pursue financial compensation to help cover the costs of treatment.”

Learn more about the potential connection between ovarian cancer and exposure to products like talcum powder:

— Dr. Danielle K. Miller, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN, Medical-Legal Content Specialist & Healthcare Strategist
Explore Talcum Powder Risks

How can I get financial assistance for ovarian cancer treatments?

Getting help with ovarian cancer treatment costs.

Getting financial help for ovarian cancer patients can take some of the burden of this disease off of you and your loved ones. You may be able to access programs for paying for ovarian cancer treatments. Options to consider include:

  • Charities and non-profits like the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition, CancerCare and the HealthWell Foundation may give you cash grants or pay for out-of-pocket costs like transportation, childcare and some medications. Other resources include the Patient Advocate Foundation and Pink Fund.

  • Your hospital or cancer center may offer help in the form of hospital charity care or financial assistance programs.

  • Government programs, like Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Medicare, may apply in some cases.

  • Family leave programs may protect you or your caregiver’s job, and some even offer pay benefits, such as manufacturer copay assistance and patient assistance programs (PAPs).

One area some people overlook is pursuing legal action. Talc-based products and chemical hair relaxers have been linked with increased rates of some cancers, including ovarian cancer. If you or a loved one used these products over a long period of time, you may have a valid claim against the companies that manufactured and marketed these products. You may be able to recover compensation to help cover your medical bills, lost wages, expenses and more. Finding out if you qualify does not cost you any money. Learn more about filing a talcum powder lawsuit or hair relaxer lawsuit.

FAQs

  • Does insurance cover all ovarian cancer treatments?

    No. Your health insurance may cover significant parts of standard ovarian cancer treatments, but you’ll likely have to pay for some of your treatment costs and non-covered expenses.

    You’ll still have to make co-payments, pay your deductible, may need coinsurance and may face coverage caps. Traditional surgery, chemotherapy and radiation may also require prior authorization, delaying care. Advanced treatments and experimental therapies are often not covered at all. Regardless of your coverage, you’ll likely need to spend a considerable amount of money out of pocket.

  • Should I keep records of my ovarian cancer expenses?

    Yes, keeping good records is vital. You should keep and organize medical bills, prescriptions and receipts for any travel or out-of-pocket spending. It’s important to keep all documents, especially when it comes to hidden costs. These records are invaluable in helping you get as much as possible when applying for financial aid. You may also be able to claim tax deductions. If you file a legal claim after getting diagnosed, having well-organized, thorough records can help you negotiate a larger settlement.

  • Are fertility preservation procedures covered by insurance?

    Unfortunately, most health insurance plans do not cover fertility preservation procedures. If you want to freeze eggs, embryos or ovarian tissue, you’ll likely need to pay out of pocket.

    Regulations vary from state to state, with some requiring companies to provide this coverage. Private financial aid may also be available. Talk to your doctor, fertility counselor or contact at your insurance company to verify your situation and find available options for you.

  • Do I have to pay to participate in a clinical trial?

    If you qualify for participation in a clinical trial, most of the cost is typically paid by the company sponsoring the study. However, the amount of compensation included for a clinical trial can vary. Some trials offer payment in addition to covering associated costs like travel, lab work and doctor visits, while others may not be as generous.

    Find out all the financial details and get answers in writing before you agree to participate. If anything is confusing, talk to your regular doctor and financial advisor. You’ll want to make sure you fully understand what you’re getting into before you enroll.

Meet the experts behind the article

Lisa Merriam
Lisa Merriam

Written by:

Lisa Merriam

Lisa Merriam is an experienced copywriter specializing in medical content, combining technical precision with clarity to ensure articles are accessible and accurate.

Read more
Dr. Danielle K. Miller, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN
Dr. Danielle Miller

Medical review by:

Dr. Danielle K. Miller, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN

Danielle Miller brings more than two decades of expertise at the intersection of healthcare, education, and advocacy to her roles. As a doctorate-prepared nurse, certified birth and postpartum doula, and current law student, Danielle specializes in creating evidence-based yet empathetic content that empowers families navigating complex medical-legal issues.

Read more
Jamie Pfeiffer, JD
Jamie Pfeiffer, JD

Legal review by:

Jamie Pfeiffer, JD

Jamie L. Pfeiffer is a retired attorney with extensive experience litigating large-scale asbestos and toxic tort cases in Illinois, Oregon, and Washington. She brings a wealth of legal expertise to reviewing articles about toxic exposure and legal accountability in mass torts.

Read more