Does Alcohol Interact With Ovarian Cancer Treatment?
Alcohol can interact with many ovarian cancer treatments; the recommendation is to avoid it during active phases of care, including before surgery, during chemotherapy, and while on maintenance therapy, says Ami Vaidya, MD, a gynecologic oncologist and co-chief of the division of gynecologic oncology at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
Before Surgery
Avoiding alcohol for about two to four weeks before surgery can help lower the risk of complications. Always discuss how much and how often you drink with your surgical team, as this information helps them plan your anesthesia safely.
If you drink heavily, meaning four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week for women, talk with your healthcare team before stopping suddenly. After prolonged heavy drinking, quitting alcohol abruptly can trigger withdrawal, which can be serious and life-threatening, especially around the time of surgery.
During Treatment
It’s also recommended to avoid alcohol during active treatment, Vaidya says.
Similarly, targeted treatments, including poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, such as olaparib (Lynparza) and niraparib (Zejula), can put stress on the liver, and drinking alcohol can worsen this effect, says Vaidya.
The drugs used to manage treatment side effects, including pain medicines, sleep medications, and certain nausea medications, may also interact with alcohol, Brunette says. For these reasons, it’s best to avoid alcohol during active treatment, and to check with your oncology team before drinking, even if the amount feels small.
Here’s how alcohol can interact with some common ovarian cancer treatments and supportive medications, according to Kahn and Vaidya:
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