This year, an estimated 25,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Most of them will have no advance warning because ovarian cancer has no early symptoms or signs. However, if detected early, ovarian cancer can be curable.
What are the types of ovarian cancer?
There are five types of ovarian cancer. The most common form comes from the cells covering the surface of the ovary, known as epithelial carcinoma. The other types are germ cell tumors, stromal tumors, sarcoma and metastatic tumors.
What are the causes and risk factors of ovarian cancer? The exact cause of ovarian cancer is not known. Ovarian cancer can occur anytime in adult women, but is found mostly in postmenopausal women. Family history is important. Women whose mothers, sisters or other close relatives have had ovarian or breast cancer run a greater risk of developing the disease.
Other risk factors include:
family history of endometrial or colon cancer
women 50-75 years of age
women who have had no children
women who had children after the age of 35
Caucasians appear to be at higher risk than African Americans
What are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer? Symptoms are often hard to notice and occur in later stages of the disease. These include:
bloating
lower abdominal pain
backache
feeling of fullness
weight change
change in bowel habits
What is cancer genetic testing? The development of cancer is caused by changes in genes. Genes are the basic units of heredity (traits from your family). In some instances, this change is caused by an environmental factor such as smoking. These are random cancers. In other cases, the changed gene is something that one is born with and therefore, is passed down from generation to generation. These are called hereditary cancers. Only 5-10% of cancer cases are due to hereditary factors. The remaining 90% are random occurrences.
It is estimated that 10% of ovarian cancers are caused by inherited changes in cancer sensitive genes. Since the discovery of these cancer sensitive genes, it is now possible to offer some families genetic testing for ovarian cancer.
Genetic testing involves looking at a person’s genetic material (DNA) for changes related to an increased risk of certain cancers. This testing may show if the cancer risk in a family is passed through their genes (inherited).
How can you minimize your risks for ovarian cancer? By getting regular pelvic exams. If you who have a family history of ovarian cancer you should discuss this with your doctor, who may recommend certain tests be taken regularly. Women who want children should become pregnant before age 35.
How is ovarian cancer diagnosed? While cervical cancer can be screened via Pap smear, there is no proven screening test for ovarian cancer. The best diagnostic test currently is a blood test called CA-125. But this test may give "false" results. It is used along with a physical examination and ultrasound.
How is ovarian cancer treated? Often surgery is the most important initial step in treating ovarian cancer. Chemotherapy is usually used after surgery and sometimes radiation therapy also. Your doctor will discuss these options with you and help you decide which treatment or combination of treatments is best for your type and stage of cancer.
