What Is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is the unrestrained growth of anomalous cells in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs producing eggs. Ovarian cancer cells originate from one of three areas in the ovary. Cancer cells that mold in the surface layer of the ovary (epithelial carcinoma) are the most frequent. Cancer cells that mold from the egg-producing cells (germ cell tumors) and from within the supportive tissues around the ovaries (stromal tumors) are not so frequent.
Frequently, ovarian cancer doesn’t reveal any symptoms until it has spread beyond the ovaries, the late stage of this disease. Ovarian cancer is not easy for a doctor to detect in the course of a pelvic exam before this late stage. This is helpful in explaining why ovarian cancer causes death more frequently than other types of cancer. Ovarian cancer represents more deaths than any other kind of cancer of the female reproductive system. The latest statistics from the American Cancer Society say that according to estimates, 16,090 women were expected to die of ovarian cancer in the United States in 2004.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer can be rather mild and similar to the symptoms of other less serious health problems even though the disease has spread to other organs. However, symptoms may be vague and include recurrent urination and bloating. Due to this, nearly 75 per cent of cases of ovarian cancer are not recognized until the later, more hazardous, stages of the disease. The scientists are constantly trying to discover screening tests that care able to detect ovarian cancer during its early stage due to the fact that there is a greater chance for the disease to be cured or controlled when it is treated in the early stage.
The precise causes of ovarian cancer are still not known to specialists, however a number of risk factors have already been identified. The disease is strongly influenced by genetic (inherited) component, and women who have had a first-degree relative (sister, mother or daughter) diagnosed with ovarian cancer are at great risk of experiencing this disease. Women who have a relative who has had breast or colon cancer are also at a high risk. The probability of experiencing ovarian cancer also rises with age. The majority of ovarian cancers happen in women over fifty years old, and the greatest risk is in women over the age of sixty. Women who do not have children are at greater risk of developing this disease.
Ovarian cancer represents 4 per cent of all cancer cases in women. According to the latest statistics, an estimated 25,580 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected to be reported in the United States in 2004.
Symptoms
Normally, there are no obvious symptoms of ovarian cancer until its late development, but even then, the symptoms are easy to be mistaken with the signs of a minor disorder. The most frequent symptoms of ovarian cancer include:
* Discomfort and pain in the abdominal area
* Bloating
* Nausea
* Diarrhea
* Frequent urination
* Unexpected weight gain or loss
* Abnormal bleeding from the vagina
Diagnosis
Sometimes, healthcare provider may discover symptoms of early stage ovarian cancer, including a firm, enlarged ovary when anomalous cells are confined to the ovary. A pelvic ultrasound may be helpful in diagnosing the illness at an early stage. Nevertheless, the ovaries frequently appear to be normal within early stages of ovarian cancer.
Apart from an ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be helpful in identifying misshapen or enlarged ovaries and other features that can name or strongly indicate the incidence of cancerous changes.
Blood tests also give the possibility to confirm ovarian cancer by identifying high blood levels of CA-125, a protein frequently found in increased levels in women suffering from ovarian cancer. The effectiveness of this test is restricted, though, due to the fact that CA-125 may be increased in many conditions that are not cancerous. The only way to be absolutely sure that cancer is there is to get a sample of ovarian tissue and have it tested for cancerous changes.
Prevention
Women that are using birth control pills are at half the risk of experiencing ovarian cancer, perhaps due to the fact that these medications prevent ovulation. The best protective effect of the pill is in women who take the pill for at least four years. It is believed that breast-feeding, which also decreases the number of times a woman ovulates, may lower the risk of ovarian cancer. Decreasing the amount of fat in the diet is also believed to be helpful in lowering the risk of ovarian cancer.
Treatment
Ovarian cancer is most commonly treated by surgery. In the majority of cases, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus and the cervix are removed, and also the thin tissue covering the stomach and intestine (called the omentum) and surrounding lymph nodes.
It may happen that chemotherapy will also be needed to kill remaining cancer cells. Radiation therapy is used not so frequently. Both methods of treatment also kill healthy cells, which can bring about side effects that affect different parts of the body. Everything depends on the type, route, total dose and length of use. The most widespread side effects may include: fever, chills, rash, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, tiredness, irregular heart rate patterns, clotting disorders, changes in blood pressure, phlebitis, nerve damage, muscle weakness and pain.
When To Call a Professional
It is essential to consult your healthcare provider if you observe any of the symptoms below:
* Persistent or worsening abdominal discomfort and pain
* Abdominal bloating
* Mysterious, persistent or worsening nausea or diarrhea
* Frequent urination
* Unexpected weight gain or loss
* Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Keep in mind that the symptoms of ovarian cancer are unclear and frequently similar to the symptoms of other problems that are not so serious. It is extremely relevant to have regular pelvic examinations, and to be especially wary of these symptoms if you are at great risk of ovarian cancer. Women at great risk of experiencing this disease include those who:
* Are known to be genetic carriers of particular forms of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
* Have had a first-degree relative (sister, mother or daughter) diagnosed with ovarian cancer
* Have a family member who has had breast or colon cancer
* Exceeded sixty years of age
* Do not have any children
Prognosis
The chance of overcoming ovarian cancer and staying alive depends on how far it has spread when treatment starts. If ovarian cancer is recognized and cured before it spreads beyond the ovary, the five-year survival rate is 95 per cent. However, only 25 per cent of all ovarian cancer cases are discovered at this early stage.
About 78 per cent of all patients suffering from ovarian cancer survive one year after diagnosis. More than a half of patients survive longer than five years after diagnosis. Generally, older women suffering from ovarian cancer usually have an inferior outlook than younger women.
