Ovarian Cancer Overview, What You Must Know?

Ovarian Cancer Overview:

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries each about the size of an almond produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone. ovarian cancer overview

Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat and is frequently fatal.

Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully. Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer

Sign & Symptoms:

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling.
• Quickly feeling full when eating.
• Weight loss.
• Discomfort in the pelvis area.
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation.
• A frequent need to urinate.

 

When to See a Doctor?

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.

Causes:

 It’s not clear what causes ovarian cancer. ovarian cancer overview

Types:

There are more than 30 different types of ovarian cancer, which are classified by the type of cell from which they start. Cancerous ovarian tumors start from three common cell types:

Ovarian Cancer Types Include:

A. Epithelial Tumors: which begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers the outside of the ovaries. About (90 %) of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors.

B. Stromal Tumors: which begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells. These tumors are usually diagnosed at an earlier stage than other ovarian tumors. About (7 %) of ovarian tumors are stromal.

C. Germ Cell Tumors: which begin in the egg-producing cells. These rare ovarian cancers tend to occur in younger women.

Risk Factors:

Factors that can increase your risk of Ovarian cancer include:

1. Age: 

The risk of developing ovarian cancer gets higher with age. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than 40. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women 63 years of age or older. ovarian cancer overview

2. Obesity:

Various studies have looked at the relationship between obesity and ovarian cancer. Overall, it seems that obese women (those with a body mass index of at least 30) have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.

3. Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy:

especially with long-term use and in large doses.

4. Family History:

Ovarian cancer can run in families. Your ovarian cancer risk is increased if your mother, sister, or daughter has (or has had) ovarian cancer. The risk also gets higher the more relatives you have with ovarian cancer.

Increased risk for ovarian cancer can also come from your father’s side. The risk goes down with each full-term pregnancy. Women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 35 or who never carried a pregnancy to term have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

5. Birth Control: 

Women who have used oral contraceptives(birth control pills) have a lower risk of ovarian cancer.  The lower risk is seen after only 3 to 6 months of using the pill, and the risk is lower the longer the pills are used. This lower risk continues for many years after the pill is stopped.

6. Age When Menstruation Started and Ended:

If you began menstruating before age 12 or underwent menopause after age 52, or both, your risk of ovarian cancer may be higher.

• Never being pregnant.
• Fertility treatment.
• Smoking.
• Use of an intrauterine device.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Prevention:

Can Ovarian Cancer Be Prevented?

Most women have one or more risk factors for ovarian cancer. But most of the common factors only slightly increase your risk, so they only partly explain the frequency of the disease. So far, what is known about risk factors has not translated into practical ways to prevent most cases of ovarian cancer.

There’s no sure way to prevent ovarian cancer. But certain factors are associated with lower risk:

• Use of oral contraceptives, especially for more than 10 years.
• Previous pregnancy.
• History of breastfeeding.
• Daily use of aspirin.

Diagnosis:

Your doctor is likely to start with a pelvic examination:

• The outer part of your genitals is carefully inspected.
• The doctor then inserts two gloved fingers into the vagina and simultaneously presses a hand on your abdomen to feel your uterus and ovaries.
• A device (speculum) is inserted into the vagina so that the doctor can visually check for abnormalities. ovarian cancer overview

Your doctor also may recommend:

• Imaging tests, such as ultrasound or CT scans, of your abdomen and pelvis.
• Blood test, which can detect a protein (CA 125) found on the surface of ovarian cancer cells.
• Surgery to remove a tissue sample and abdominal fluid to confirm a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
• Minimally invasive or robotic surgery may be an option.
• If cancer is discovered, the surgeon may immediately begin surgery to remove as much of cancer as possible.

Stages:

Stages of ovarian cancer include:

Stage:

• I. Cancer is found in one or both ovaries.
• II. Cancer has spread to other parts of the pelvis.
• III. Cancer has spread to the abdomen.
• IV. Cancer is found outside the abdomen.

I. First Stage:

Stage one is the first stage that women will go through. Stage one is the most treatable stage and where you ideally want to find out you have ovarian cancer. The only issue is going to be detecting cancer at such an early stage.

Anyway, with Stage one ovarian cancer, a person has cancer inside one or both of the ovaries, though in Stage one it is possible they could have spread into a woman’s abdominal fluid. Stage one ovarian cancer could also involve rupture of the affected ovary due to the presence of the tumors.

II. Second Stage:

Stage two indicates that the tumors have spread from the ovaries. However, it has not gone beyond the pelvic region. Organs that could be affected by the metastasized ovarian cancer include the bladder or the rectum. And, like Stage one, it is possible for the tumors to result in a ruptured ovary.

III. Third Stage:

With Stage Three ovarian cancer, the tumors have spread into the abdominal cavity. They can attack the lymph nodes, the groin area or the area that is behind the womb. The cancer is visible from the tissues of the abdomen, (not the abdominal fluid like Stage one and two). The tumors start at two centimeters and grow from there.

IV. Fourth Stage:

Stage four is the deadliest of the stage. At this stage, cancer has escaped the pelvic region and the abdominal cavity. Any organ is game for attack, though the most common will be the liver or the lungs.

It should be noted that when the tumors attack these organs, the doctors will still offer ovarian cancer treatment instead of liver cancer treatment or lung cancer treatment. This is because the origin of the problem is in the ovaries, so in order to try and treat the condition, the tumors will need to be attacked there.

One of the goals of surgery for ovarian cancer is to take tissue samples for diagnosis and staging. To stage cancer, samples of tissues are taken from different parts of the pelvis and abdomen and examined in the lab.

Treatment:

Treatment of ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy

I. Surgery:

Treatment generally involves removing both ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus as well as nearby lymph nodes and a fold of fatty abdominal tissue (omentum) where ovarian cancer often spreads. Your surgeon also will remove as much cancer as possible from your abdomen.

Less extensive surgery may be possible if your ovarian cancer was diagnosed at a very early stage. For women with stage I ovarian cancer, surgery may involve removing one ovary and its fallopian tube. This procedure may preserve the ability to have children.

II. Chemotherapy:

• After surgery, you will likely be treated with chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy drugs can be injected into a vein or directly into the abdominal cavity or both.
• It may be used as the initial treatment in some women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Alternative Treatment:

Nearly everyone diagnosed with cancer experiences some distress at some point. If you’re distressed, you may feel sad, angry or anxious. You may experience difficulty sleeping or find yourself constantly thinking about your cancer.

Several complementary treatments may help you cope with your distress, including:

• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Herbal products
• Vitamins or special diets
• Visualization
• Meditation
• Spiritual healing.

 

Discuss your feelings and concerns with your doctor. In some cases, treatment for distress may require medications.

Tips on Ovarian Cancer Prevention:

1. Use Birth Control Pills:

• In addition to helping stop unwanted pregnancy, it has been seen that they can reduce your risk of developing ovarian cancer by 40 to 50%.
• The risks are particularly decreased after 5 years of usage.
• In fact, the longer you use oral contraceptives, the less your risk.

2. Modify Your Diet and Exercise Routine:

• Researchers recommend that women eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet, as well as reduce meat and alcohol consumption.
• Studies have shown that going this route for at least 4 years can significantly reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

In addition,

• Women are encouraged to exercise three times weekly to maintain a body fat percentage that is within the accepted range.
• Adults who are 18 years of age or older are considered at risk if the body mass index, or BMI, is greater than 25.
• Although physicians do not advocate making decisions about child-bearing solely for the purpose of reducing ovarian cancer risk, some pregnancy-related statistics are worth noting.

 

Ovarian cancer risk is 30% to 60% lower among women who have been pregnant versus those who have not. In addition, ovarian cancer risk is lower if the first child is born before a woman reaches 30 years of age, and risk continues to decrease with each successive pregnancy.

3. Breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding (which begins when estrogen and progesterone levels drop after childbirth and ovulation are suppressed) also appears to offer protection against ovarian cancer.

Foods That Can Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk:

There are certain foods that have been believed as many foods that can lower cancer risk. But if the food is effectively working as food for ovarian cancer stage 3? It is still to be proved by in-depth research.

1. Tomatoes:

The FDA has acknowledged that eating tomato sauce or tomato juice twice a week can reduce the risk of this disease. Substance lycopene in the tomatoes consumed in the form of tomato juice can be taken 2 times a week.

2. Potatoes:

Potatoes are believed to reduce the risk of this disease by absorbing carcinogens that enter the body with food. Consumption of potatoes with the skin is highly recommended for better results.

3. Carrots:

Carrots contain carotenoids which can help reduce the risk of this disease. Eating carrots on a regular basis is a healthy habit that needs to be done.

4. Ginger:

Ginger contains antioxidants that can fight cancer growth. Ginger contains curcumin and gingerol are believed to make cancer cells to destroy themselves.

5. Tea:

Tea contains polyphenols that fight free radicals. Free radicals work as a barrier to the growth and spread of cancer cells. Consume food as an antidote to ovarian cancer would not give instant effects, but needs to be done continuously.

6. Berries:

The vivid colors of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries come from antioxidants called anthocyanins, which fight a variety of cancers. Frozen berries are available year round-try them in smoothies or in cereal.

The success of this business is highly influenced by other factors that help one another, including belief in the patient, the confidence to be able to recover, this is also a healing medicine. If the cancer is already in phase 3, the effort to consume foods as an antidote to this disease can still be done.

 

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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

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