Know More About Ovarian Cancer

Ovaries are the female reproductive organs, which produces the eggs and any cancer that occurs in this region are called ovarian cancer. This is the fifth most common cancer found in women.

Cause: The cause for the occurrence of this cancer is still not elusive.

Risk Factors: The risk factors that has been identified to increase the chance of occurrence of ovarian cancer will include cancer in the family pedigree, age (if you are more than 55 years old) and never becoming pregnant.

Symptoms: The symptoms of ovarian cancer will include –

·         abdominal swelling,

·         pressure or pain in the uterine region or the lower tummy,

·         frequent urination, urinary urgency,

·         back pain,

·         leg pain,

·         unusual vaginal bleeding and

·         feeling of fullness in the tummy very quickly.

The point to be noted is that not that all of these symptoms indicate the presence of ovarian cancer and neither all of these symptoms are present in the case of an ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer could also be a silent killer with no symptoms.

Some of the other uncommon symptoms associated with ovarian cancer include digestive symptoms like constipation, increased gas, indigestion, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight gain or loss. One of the rarest symptoms that have been related to ovarian cancer is the excessive hair growth which is dark and coarse.

Signs and Tests:

The normal examination for ovarian cancer is hand examination observing for lumps in the abdominal and the pelvic regions. However, in advanced stages the ovarian cancer exhibits itself as swollen belly area with fluid accumulation, which is known as ascites.

Other tests that are to be performed if ovarian cancer is suspected includes

·         complete blood count and  blood chemistry

·         pregnancy test

·         CT and/ or MRI of the abdomen and pelvic region

·         Pelvic ultrasound

·         Pelvic laproscopy

·         Biopsy if unusual lumps are found – has to be tested whether it is benign or not.

Stages of Ovarian Cancer:

Stage I: One or both the ovaries are affected.  The surface of the ovaries maybe affected and fluid might be accumulated in the abdominal region.

Stage II: The spread of the cancer from one or both of the ovaries to other organs in the pelvic region. Fallopian tubes, uterus and other tissues in the pelvis and the abdomen might be affected with cancerous cells.

Stage III: Lymph nodes and regions outside the pelvic regions are affected.

Stage IV: This is the final stage of ovarian cancer spreading to the rest of the body.

Treatment:

1.      Surgery is the best option to treat any kind and stage of the ovarian cancer, especially at the early stages. This is the best option to remove any abnormal growth in the ovaries, even if identified as harmless. Surgery will involve the following techniques:

·         Removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes (depending on the type and the region of the ovary that is being affected

·         Partial or complete removal of the omentum, the fatty layer in the abdominal region

·         Removal of affected lymph nodes.

2.      Chemotherapy is one of the best treatments that could be deployed at the early stages of ovarian cancer and could be employed when the cancer recurs.

3.      Radiation therapy is rarely used for the treatment of ovarian cancer as this could damage the fertility of the tissue.