What Is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is the cancer type originating from ovaries of a woman. The ovaries are organs found only in a female body and are located on either side of uterus of the woman. Ovaries are responsible for producing ovum or eggs and also secrets important reproductive hormones like progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. Often ovarian cancer does not get diagnosed until it spreads to the abdomen and pelvis of the woman. Late detection makes treating ovarian cancer extremely difficult and often results in fatal outcomes.
The ovarian cancer symptoms often mimic signs of common health problems like bladder disorders and digestive problems. This makes detecting the disease even more difficult. The most common signs of this cancer type include the following:
- Bloating and swelling of the abdomen, a filling of fullness in the abdomen and abdominal pressure
- Discomfort and pain in the pelvic region
- Alteration of bowel habits; for instance persistent diarrhea or constipation
- Alteration of bladder habits, for instance frequent need of urinating
- Decreased appetite
- Significant drop in energy levels, persistent weakness and fatigue
- Pain in the lower back
What are the ovarian cancer types? Based on the kind of cells from where the ovarian cancer originates, this cancer form can be of 3 types; they are:
- Epithelial tumor: It is the ovarian cancer type originating from cells located outside the ovaries. The epithelial tumors begin from the thin tissue layer covering the ovaries from outside. Majority of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have epithelial tumors.
- Germ cell tumor: In this type of ovarian cancer, the cancer starts from the egg-generating cells of the ovaries. Germ cell tumor is more common among younger women.
- Stromal tumor: It is the ovarian cancer type starting from the hormone-secreting cells of ovaries. Stromal tumors originate from ovarian tissues producing hormones like testosterone, progesterone and estrogen.
Why does one develop ovarian cancer? Till date, no specific cause of ovarian cancer has been identified. However, scientists have spotted certain risk factors for the disease; they are:
- The genes responsible for causing breast cancer i.e. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also known to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer. These genes are generally found in families having history of multiple breast cancer cases. Women having family history of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancers also at higher risk of having ovarian cancer. And obviously, if you have any of your close family members suffering from ovarian cancer, you are also at risk of developing the disease.
- If you have been diagnosed with another cancer type previously, your chances of getting ovarian cancer increases.
- Old age, not being pregnant, undergoing hormone replacement therapies after menopause are some other risk factors of ovarian cancer.
Symptoms of Different Stages of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer can be segmented into 4 stages, stage I to stage IV. The staging of the disease is done based on the extent of the spreading of cancer. In stage I of ovarian cancer, the cancer stays confined within both or any one of the ovaries. In the stage II, cancer invades other organs located in the pelvic region of the patient’s body for instance fallopian tubes, uterus, sigmoid colon or the bladder of a woman. In stage III the patients experience spreading of the cancer either to their abdominal lining or to their lymph nodes. Stage IV of ovarian cancer is marked by spreading of cancer either to the distant organs like lungs and liver or tissues located outside the patient’s abdominal cavity.
Symptoms of stage I ovarian cancer: This stage is also referred to as the early stage [...]
Risk Factors That Increases a Woman’s Susceptibility towards Developing Ovarian Cancer
There are some factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. However, having these ovarian cancer risk factors does not mean that the individual will surely suffer from ovarian cancer; the risk factors only indicate that the linked individual has more chances of getting the disease compare to the others. Ovarian cancer risk factors are:
Inherited gene mutation:
In some women, ovarian cancer occurs due to inherited gene mutation. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the 2 gene types that increase a woman’s chances of getting ovarian cancer. These genes are generally found in individuals who have more than one close relatives suffering from breast cancer. The other genetic link of ovarian cancer is hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancers or HNPCC. Women, who have a family history [...]
Ovarian Cancer Survival Rate – What to Expect
The five-year ovarian cancer survival rate is the proportion of individuals who manage to live five years past disease diagnoses, irrespective of whether they are having a small number of symptoms or are non-symptomatic, disease-free or undergoing therapy. The general five-year comparative survival rate from 1996 till six years later was noted to be at 44.7%. But, ovarian cancer survival rate is dependent on big sets of individuals and every patient differs from the other one with therapy & response to therapy differing widely.
Factors that have a capability of influencing survival rate for ovarian cancer would be based on:
The form of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer staging.
How old a female is & her overall health.
If the ovarian cancer has lately been detected or has relapsed [...]
Novel Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis Test has 100% Accuracy
Georgia Inst. of Technology researchers have received favourable outcomes on their preliminary studies of a novel ovarian cancer test. Employing a new-fangled method that involves mass spectrometry of one blood serum droplet, the test accurately detected ovarian cancer in females with hundred per cent accuracy in all those who underwent it.
Researchers point out that since ovarian cancer is a condition that has comparatively low pervasiveness hence it is vital that tests done for it must be quite precise. Hence, they deem that the test they have developed would be able to do this with ease.
The measurement stage in the test involves using one blood serum droplet following vaporization with searing helium plasma. Once the serum molecules develop electrical charge, a mass spectrometer is [...]
