INTRODUCTION: Approximately 15,280 women die every year in the United States from ovarian cancer. Despite this, the 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer has improved significantly in the last 30 years. The prognosis of ovarian cancer is closely related to the stage at diagnosis. No approved screening method is available for ovarian cancer.
The Mayo Clinic has one of the largest ovarian cancer practices in the United States, treating more than 1,200 patients in 2006 who had a principal or secondary diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Mayo Clinic uses a wide variety of imaging techniques to detect ovarian cancer, including PET scans, CT scans and MRIs.
WOMEN: Cancer of the ovaries is the seventh most common cancer in women in the United States, with over 25,000 women newly diagnosed each year with this disease. It is the fifth leading cause of deaths by cancer in women and frequently does not result in symptoms until the cancer is morely widely spread. Only about 20% of patients are diagnosed early, when the disease may be curable. Ovarian cancer usually occurs in women over 50, but it can also affect younger women. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are over the age of 40, with the greatest number being aged 55 years or more.
RISK: All women are at risk for cancer of the ovaries, but older women are more apt to get the disease than younger women. The precise cause of ovarian cancer is not known, but several risk and contributing factors have been identified. Women who have been pregnant have a 50 percent decreased risk for developing cancer of the ovaries compared to those who have not. Oral contraceptive use decreases the risk of developing the disease. These factors support the idea that risk for ovarian cancer is related to ovulation and that conditions that suppress this ovulatory cycle play a protective role.
Genetic factors and Family history plays an important part in the risk of developing ovarian cancer also. A history of breast cancer increases a person’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. The lifetime risk for developing ovarian cancer is 1%. This compares to a 4-5 percent chance when 1 first-degree family member is affected, rising to 7% when 2 relatives are affected.
DISEASE: Early stages of the disease causes minimal, nonspecific, or no symptoms. The disease is rare in patients younger than 40 years, after which the incidence rises. Based on the surgical staging, women are classified as having limited disease (stage I and II) or advanced disease (stage III and IV). Females with limited disease are classified as having low or high risk for recurrence based on the following: Low risk for recurrence includes the following; Grade 1 or 2 disease, No tumor on the outer surface of the ovary, Negative peritoneal cytology, No ascites, Tumor growth confined to the ovaries.
High risk for recurrence includes the following, Grade 3 disease, Preoperative rupture of the capsule, Tumor on the outer surface of the ovary, Positive peritoneal cytology, Ascites Tumor growth outside of the ovary, Clear cell tumors, Surgical stage II for postoperative treatment. chemotherapy is indicated in all women with ovarian cancer except those females with surgical-pathological stage I disease with low-risk characteristics.
SYMPTOMS: may include a Heavy feeling in pelvis, Pain in lower abdomen, Bleeding from the vagina, Weight gain or loss, Abnormal periods, Unexplained back pain that gets worse, Gas, Nausea, Vomiting, or Loss of appetite. Symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional.
Traditionally, it was believed that cancer of the ovaries does not cause any characteristic symptoms until the tumor has spread widely, and that early symptoms of ovarian cancer were not recognizable. However, in June 2007, the American Cancer Society, along with other medical societies including the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, released a consensus statement about possible early symptoms of ovarian cancer. This statement was based on research suggesting that some of the early signs of ovarian cancer can, in fact, be recognized.
TREATMENT: Treatment is usually surgery followed by treatment with chemotherapy drugs. There are also many combinations of these treatment methods and it is often worthwhile to get a second opinion about treatment before entering into a specific program. The greater the knowledge you have, the easier it is to make decisions about your personal treatment plan. Arlene Dunlop is a breast and ovarian cancer survivor whose treatments have kept her well and out enjoying life.
Conclusion: Ovarian cancer actually represents a group of different tumors that arise from diverse types of tissue contained within the ovary. Ovarian cancer can invade, shed, or spread to other organs. A malignant ovarian tumor can grow and invade organs next to the ovaries, such as the fallopian tubes and uterus. Ovarian cancer often causes signs and symptoms, so it is important to pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you.
Cancer of the ovaries most frequently appears in women who are more than 60 (about 50% of patients are over age 65), although it may occur in younger women who have a family history of the disease. Ovarian cancer is the most common reason for cancer death from gynecologic tumors in the United States. Cancer of the ovaries is diagnosed in about 23,000 women in the US each year. Ovarian cancer is a frightening diagnosis, but coming to it with knowledge and information helps a great deal. The earlier it is found and treated, the better your chances are for recovery.
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