Ovarian Cancer Education

The ovaries, which are found in the women's pelvis, are part of the female reproductive system. The ovaries function by releasing eggs and also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. When cancer is found in the ovaries, it can be life-threatening and can spread to other body parts but can often be removed. Educating yourself about ovarian cancer by learning about its symptoms and causes and ways to prevent ovarian cancer can be beneficial to those at risk of developing it.

Symptoms

• There are no specific symptoms for ovarian cancer so a woman with ovarian cancer may be misdiagnosed with other conditions. However, persistent symptoms that gradually worsen such as abdominal, pelvis, back or leg pressure or pain, full, swollen or bloated abdomen, frequent need to urinate, shortness of breath, persistent indigestion, gas, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea, loss of appetite, heavy periods, pain during intercourse and lack of energy are usually signs of ovarian cancer.

Types

• Three types of ovarian tumors exist according to where they form in the ovary. Epithelial tumors occur in the thin layer of tissue that covers the ovaries. Germ cell tumors occur in the egg-producing cells of the ovary. Stromal tumors develop in the tissues that produce estrogen and progesterone.

Causes and Risk Factors

• Although the exact cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, researchers believe that tissue-repair process that follows ovulation may be related to the development of ovarian cancer. Other researches believe that increased hormone levels before and during ovulation may produce the growth of cancerous cells.

  Certain factors, although they don't mean that ovarian cancer will develop, may increase your risk of ovarian cancer. Risk factors include inherited gene mutations, family history of cancer, a history of breast, uterus, colon or rectum cancer, age, such as in women over 55, obesity, never having been pregnant, infertility, women who have had hormone replacement therapy or have taken medication with the male hormone, androgen.

Tests and Diagnosis

• Diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer are administered if symptoms that suggest ovarian cancer are found. These include a physical exam, pelvic examination, ultrasound, a CA 125 blood test, a biopsy, CT scan, MRI or chest X-ray.

Treatments

• Treatment of ovarian cancer is usually through surgery by a gynecologic oncologist followed by chemotherapy. Debulking is surgery that removes as much of the cancer as possible and laparotomy is surgery that removes both ovaries, fallopian tubes and the uterus and nearby lymph nodes. Chemotherapy can be administered directly into the abdomen and pelvis through a thin tube or taken by mouth or injected into a vein. Radiation is also sometimes used to treat the symptoms of advanced cancer.

Prevention

• According to the American Cancer Society, the use of birth control pills for five years or more has reduced the risk of ovarian cancer in women by over 50 percent. Having been pregnant and breast-feeding lowers your risk of developing ovarian cancer as well as a having your tubes tied or a having a hysterectomy.