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Ovarian Cancer - Risk Factor, Symptoms And Treatment
Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes, this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.
An ovarian cyst may be found on the surface of an ovary or inside it. A cyst contains fluid and sometimes solid tissue too. Most ovarian cysts are benign (not cancer).
Generally, most ovarian cysts go away with time. But, sometimes, a cyst does not go away or even gets larger. Tests should be taken to make sure that the cyst is not cancer.
Ovarian cancer
This cancer begins in the ovaries of a woman, the twin organs that produce a woman's eggs and the main source of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Ovarian cancer can invade, shed, or spread to other organs:
Invade: A malignant ovarian tumor can grow and invade organs next to the ovaries, such as the fallopian tubes and uterus.
Shed: Cancer cells can shed (break off) from the main ovarian tumor. Shedding into the abdomen may lead to new tumors forming on the surface of nearby organs and tissues. These are called seeds or implants.
Spread: Cancer cells can spread through the lymphatic system to lymph nodes in the pelvis, abdomen, and chest. Cancer cells may also spread through the bloodstream to organs such as the liver and lungs.
When cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the original tumor.
For example, if ovarian cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually ovarian cancer cells. The disease is metastatic ovarian cancer, not liver cancer. For that reason, it is treated as ovarian cancer, not liver cancer.
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| Female Illustration - Ovarian Cancer |
Risk Factors
women with certain risk factors may be more likely to develop ovarian cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease. Following are some risk factors for Ovarian cancer.
Family History: Women with mother, daughter, or sister with ovarian cancer have an increased risk of the disease. Also, women with a family history of cancer of the breast, uterus, colon, or rectum may also have an increased risk of ovarian cancer. If several women in a family have ovarian or breast cancer, especially at a young age, this is considered a strong family history. If you have a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer, you may wish to talk to a genetic counselor. The counselor may suggest genetic testing for you and the women in your family. Genetic tests can sometimes show the presence of specific gene changes that increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
Personal History: Women who had suffered from cancer of the breast, uterus, colon, or rectum have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.
Age: The strongest risk factor for ovarian cancer is age. It's most likely to develop after a woman goes through menopause.
Menopause: Using postmenopausal hormone therapy may increase the risk. The link seems strongest in women who take estrogen without progesterone for at least 5 to 10 years. Doctors are not certain whether taking a combination of estrogen and progesterone boosts the risk as well.
Obesity: Obese women have a higher risk of getting ovarian cancer than other women. And the death rates for ovarian cancer are higher for obese women too, compared with non-obese women. The heaviest women appear to have the greatest risk.
Never Pregnant: Older women who have never been pregnant have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
Ovarian cancer in early stage may not cause obvious symptoms. But, as the cancer grows, symptoms may include:
Pressure or pain in the abdomen, pelvis, back, or legs.
A swollen or bloated abdomen.
Nausea, indigestion, gas, constipation, or diarrhea.
Feeling very tired all the time.
Less common symptoms include:
Shortness of breath
Feeling the need to urinate often
Unusual vaginal bleeding (heavy periods, or bleeding after menopause)
These symptoms can be caused by many conditions that are not cancer. If they occur daily for more than a few weeks, report them to your health care professional.
Diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer
If you have a symptom that suggests ovarian cancer, you must find out whether it is due to cancer or to some other cause.
You may have one or more of the following tests.
Physical exam: Take check ups on general signs of health. Your doctor may press on your abdomen to check for tumors or an abnormal buildup of fluid (ascites). A sample of fluid can be taken to look for ovarian cancer cells.
Pelvic exam: Get check up on ovaries and nearby organs for lumps or other changes in their shape or size. A Pap test is part of a normal pelvic exam, but it is not used to collect ovarian cells. The Pap test detects cervical cancer but not used to diagnose ovarian cancer.
Blood tests: Take blood tests. The lab may check the level of several substances, including CA-125. CA-125 is a substance found on the surface of ovarian cancer cells and on some normal tissues. A high CA-125 level could be a sign of cancer or other conditions. The CA-125 test is not used alone to diagnose ovarian cancer. This test is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for monitoring a woman's response to ovarian cancer treatment and for detecting its return after treatment.
Ultrasound: The ultrasound device uses sound waves that people cannot hear. The device aims sound waves at organs inside the pelvis. The waves bounce off the organs. A computer creates a picture from the echoes. The picture may show an ovarian tumor. For a better view of the ovaries, the device may be inserted into the vagina (trans-vaginal ultrasound).
Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of tissue or fluid to look for cancer cells. Based on the results of the blood tests and ultrasound, your doctor may suggest surgery (a laparotomy) to remove tissue and fluid from the pelvis and abdomen. Surgery is usually needed to diagnose ovarian cancer.
Although most women have a laparotomy for diagnosis, some women have a procedure known as laparoscopy. The doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube (a laparoscope) through a small incision in the abdomen. Laparoscopy may be used to remove a small, benign cyst or an early ovarian cancer. It may also be used to find out whether cancer has spread.
Stages Of Ovarian Cancer
Stage I: Cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be found on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen.
Stage II: Cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are found on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be found in fluid collected from the abdomen.
Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to the regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be found on the outside of the liver.
Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be found inside the liver, in the lungs, or in other organs.
Treatment For Ovarian Cancer
Local therapy: Surgery and radiation therapy come under local therapies. They remove or destroy ovarian cancer in the pelvis. When ovarian cancer has spread to other parts of the body, local therapy may be used to control the disease in those specific areas.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can be given directly into the abdomen and pelvis through a thin tube. The drugs destroy or control cancer in the abdomen and pelvis.
Systemic chemotherapy: When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein, the drugs enter the bloodstream and destroy or control cancer throughout the body.
Most women prefer surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is used very rarely.
Side Effects
Cancer treatments often damage healthy cells and tissues so, side effects are common. Side effects depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Side effects may not be the same for each woman, and they may vary from one treatment session to the next. Before starting treatment, ask your health care team to explain about side effects.
Some common side effect would be pain, swollen abdomen, blocked intestine, swollen legs and mood swings
Knowing that you have ovarian cancer can change your life and the lives of those close to you. These changes can be hard to handle. You may worry about caring for your family, keeping your job, or continuing daily activities. An emotional support is always needed for the patients.
After Treatment
Early Menopause
When women's both ovaries removed, they can no longer produce their own estrogen. This triggers menopause, no matter how young the patient. The drop in hormone levels can also raise the risk for certain medical conditions, including osteoporosis. It's vital that women have regular follow-up care after being treated for ovarian cancer.
Moving On
Women may find that it takes a long time for their energy to return after treatments end. Fatigue is a very common problem after treatment for cancer. Beginning a gentle exercise program is one of the most effective ways to restore energy and improve emotional well-being. Check with your health care team to determine which activities are right for you.
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