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Home Health Cancer Ovarian Cancer - A Fearful Diagnosis!
Ovarian Cancer - A Fearful Diagnosis! PDF Print E-mail
Written by Richard H Ealom   
INTRODUCTION: About 15,280 women die every year in the US from ovarian cancer. Despite this, the 5-year survival rate for the disease has improved greatly in the last 30 years. The prognosis of ovarian cancer is closely tied to the stage at diagnosis. There is no approved screening method available at present for ovarian cancer.
by RichardHEalom


INTRODUCTION: About 15,280 women die every year in the US from ovarian cancer. Despite this, the 5-year survival rate for the disease has improved greatly in the last 30 years. The prognosis of ovarian cancer is closely tied to the stage at diagnosis. There is no approved screening method available at present for ovarian cancer.

The Mayo Clinic has one of the largest ovarian cancer practices in the US, treating more than 1,200 people in 2006 who had a primary or secondary diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Mayo Clinic uses a large variety of imaging techniques to detect cancer of the ovaries, including PET scans, CT scans and MRIs.

WOMEN: Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women in the US, with over 25,000 women newly diagnosed each year with this disease. It is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women and frequently does not result in symptoms until the cancer has spread extensively. Only about 20% of women are diagnosed early, when the disease may be curable. Ovarian cancer usually happens in women over age 50, but it can also affect younger women. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are older than 40 years of age, with the greatest number being aged 55 years or older.

RISK: All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than those who are younger. The precise cause of cancer of the ovaries is unknown, but several risk and contributing factors have been identified. Women who have been pregnant have a 50% less risk for developing ovarian cancer compared with women who have not. Oral contraceptive use decreases the risk of cancer of the ovaries. These factors support the belief 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 play an important role in the risk of developing ovarian cancer also. A history of breast cancer increases a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer. The lifetime risk for developing ovarian cancer is 1%. This compares to a 4-5% risk 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: can include a Heavy feeling in pelvis, Pain in lower abdomen, vaginal bleeding, Weight gain or loss, Abnormal periods, Back pain for unknown reasons that gets worse, Gas, Nausea, Vomiting, or Decreased appetite. Symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know for sure is to see your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional.

Traditionally, it was believed that ovarian cancer does not produce any characteristic symptoms until the tumor is widespread, 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 symptoms 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 kinds of tissue contained inside the ovary. Cancer of the ovaries can invade, shed, or spread to nearby organs. A malignant ovarian tumor can grow and invade organs next to the ovaries, such as the fallopian tubes and uterus. Ovarian cancer frequently produces signs and symptoms, so it is necessary for a woman to pay attention to her body and know what is normal for it.

Ovarian cancer most frequently appears in women who are older 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 cause of cancer death from gynecologic tumors in the United States. Ovarian cancer is diagnosed in about 23,000 women in the United States each year. Ovarian cancer is a frightening diagnosis, but coming to it with knowledge and information helps a great deal. The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery.

About The Author:

About the author: Richard H. Ealom is an expert ezinearticles.com writer with more than 50 articles on diseases,causes,cures. To learn more about Ovarian Cancer visit "Cancer Breakthrough USA!" You have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged.

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