About ovarian cancer

Ovarian Cancer is a cancer that strikes the ovaries, causing ovarian cysts to form. The ovaries (woman have two of them) produce the eggs, as well as the hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.

Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, and sometimes isn't diagnosed until the later stages. By this time has probably spread to the abdomen and the pelvis.

Ovarian cancer causes

The causes of ovarian cancer are unclear. What happens is the normal growth of cells is interrupted, and mutated. Healthy cells will grow, multiply and die off at a set rate. With cancer, something will cause the cells to grow and multiply at a wild rate, and not die off. This causes masses known as tumors to form. The cancerous tumors can then spread to other parts of the body.

Ovarian cancer symptoms

Part of the reason the ovarian cancer is not always detected earlier is that ovarian cancer symptoms are very similar to more common diseases or conditions. These symptoms are:

• Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
• Frequent indigestion, gas or nausea
• Toilet habits changing, such as constipation
• A frequent need to urinate
• Pelvic discomfort or pain, more than just momentary
• A loss of appetite or feeling full after eating less than usual
• An increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
• A consistent lack of energy
• Lower back pain

Ovarian cancer symptoms, when present, are persistent and will worsen with time.

Ovarian cancer treatment

There are tow usual treatment for ovarian cancer, usually used in combination.

Ovarian cancer surgery – This surgery for ovarian cancer is usually radial, meaning extensive: removing both ovaries, the fallopian tubes and uterus, along with any lymph nodes nearby. Also removed would be the omentum, and fold of fatty tissue along the abdomen.

If the cancer is found and diagnosed at an early stage, such extensive surgery might not be necessary.

Ovarian cancer chemo – Chemotherapy is a therapy using drugs to designed to kill remaining cancer cells. Ovarian cancer chemo is used after therapy as both as safeguard and a 'clean up', to rid the body of any cancer cells not removed with surgery.

Ovarian cancer stages

Stages of cancers are used as a shorthand for doctors, so that everyone is on the same page as to treatment and therapies. Stage 2 is very different stage one, and stage three is different still.

From the American Cancer Society, here are the stages of ovarian cancer, as used by the medical professions:

T1: The cancer is confined to the ovaries -- one or both.

• T1a: The cancer is only inside one ovary - it isn't on the outside of the ovary, it doesn't penetrate the tissue covering the ovary (called the capsule) and isn't in fluid taken from the pelvis.
• T1b: The cancer is inside both ovaries but doesn't penetrate to the outside and isn't in fluid taken from the pelvis (like T1a except the cancer is in both ovaries).
• T1c: The cancer is in one or both ovaries and is either on the outside of an ovary, grown through the capsule of an ovary, or is in fluid taken from the pelvis.

T2: The cancer is in one or both ovaries and is extending into pelvic tissues.

• T2a: The cancer has spread (metastasized) to the uterus and/or the fallopian tubes but isn't in fluid taken from the pelvis.
• T2b: The cancer has spread to pelvic tissues besides the uterus and fallopian tubes but it isn't in fluid taken from the pelvis.
• T2c: The cancer has spread to the uterus and/or fallopian tubes and/or other pelvic tissues (like T2a or T2b) and is also in fluid taken from the pelvis.

T3: The cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread to the abdominal lining outside the pelvis. This lining is called the peritoneum.

• T3a: The cancer metastases are so small that they can not be seen except under a microscope.
• T3b: The cancer metastases can be seen but no tumor is bigger than 2 centimeters (0.8 inches).
• T3c: The cancer metastases are larger than 2 centimeters (0.8 inches).

Ovarian cancer prevention

For those looking for a sure ovarian cancer prevention, or a test for ovarian cancer detection, there really isn't any at this time. Imaging tests can be sued if cancer is suspected, but there is nothing that will find the cancer unless specifically looking for it. If your examining doctor suspects ovarian cancer, you should consult a gynecologic oncologist is an obstetrician/gynecologist who specializes in the cancer's of the reproductive system. Women who consult a gynecologic oncologist tend to have a better chance of survival.

Ovarian cancer prognosis

The ovarian cancer prognosis depends on what stage the cancer was diagnosed at. The earlier the cancer is found, the better the chance for survival. The American Cancer Society pegs the ovarian cancer survival rate at 44.2 percent for white women and 39.5 percent for black women.

Early diagnosis is the key to a better survival rate, and research is being done at this moment to find better testing tools and treatments.