Easy to Understand Information About Ovarian Cancer

If you pick up a magazine these days you read about it, if you turn on the TV another famous person died of it. It is the "silent" killer that has stolen its way into our consciousness. Even after all the years of research, we still don't seem to have a foolproof way of eradicating this potentially lethal disease. I am of course talking about Cancer. Regardless of which form of cancer you get diagnosed with you will automatically panic. It is a shock to our system and most of us prefer to live with denial rather then to face the facts. A large number of us don't know how to talk about it with our friends and family, while others just give them-selves up for lost.

In this Article I have would like to address one of the forms of cancer which effects woman all over the world - ovarian cancer.

The official Definition of ovarian cancer is as follows:

As the name states ovarian Cancer is a form of cancer which forms in tissues of the ovary (one of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed). Most ovarian cancers either begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary begin in egg cells.

To make this article a lot easier to understand I am going to try to avoid medical terms as much as possible and give explanations for others. If you are desirous of medical terms and would like advanced detailed information please see your healthcare provider.

In recent studies (to be found on the Ovarian Cancer Home Page) we are informed that we had 22,430 new cases in the United States in the Year 2007. The rate of deaths this year alone is staggering as well at 15,280. It isn't my aim is to scare you to death only to present basic information to you as well as bring you some good news.

In past centuries, Experts have believed that ovarian cancer was only detectable in the late stages of the disease, making it necessary to take drastic action or dealing with the disease resulting in death. The great news is that recent Studies have proven otherwise. The American Cancer Society, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and the Society of Gynecologic Onocologists released the first ever consensus listing early warning symptoms of ovarian cancer. This means, that your chances of being diagnosed early are much better then thought and with that the Rate of successful treatment a lot higher.

Another highly encouraging fact is that occurrences of ovarian cancers have steadily declined since 1999. It doesn't mean it is any less serious, but it means that something is on our side.

So what are some of the early warning signs to look out for?

Some of the early warning signs include abdominal swelling or bloating with a feeling of your clothes being too tight. Abdominal or pelvic pain/pressure giving you the feeling of being too 'full'. Other symptoms may include gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas, nausea or indigestion, vaginal bleeding or discharge, as well as the feeling of constant urgent, burning or spasms while urinating. You can count difficulty eating (feeling full quickly all the time), fatigue and/or fever, pain during intercourse or back pains under the signs. Difficulty breathing is another of those lovely little warning signals.

If you have one or more of these on a regular basis (they occur at least 12 times a month) you want to see a doctor. Please remember that having a family history makes you no more or less perceptible to this cancer. Please don't panic in any case; these symptoms could be signs of several other illnesses with some of them being no worst then flu. The reason why doctors were so long in the dark was for that exact reason. The symptoms are so common that they could have been the front runners for just about anything.

Yes, this is very scary but a positive thought for just a second is the much reduced lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer of 1 in 70 to 1 in 8 for breast cancer. This may not be a great statement, but think about it for just a second.

You have some of these symptoms, plus you just have that fearful feeling, what happens next?

It is better to be wrong on the side of safety then to ignore the problems. Please go to see your Doctor (OB-GYN) as soon as possible. Explain your symptoms and fears to your Doctor. He or she will set you up for the necessary test. You will undergo a pelvic and rectal exam. This may be a bit awkward for you, but the alternatives warrant a bit of discomfort. If he or she finds any signs of possible cancerous growth you will be asked to take a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound (during the test sound waves are measured coming from a wand inserted into your vagina, these waves are shown on a screen and recorded. Allowing the Doctor to determine if any tumors, cysts or masses are present). In many cases this will be accompanied by a CA-125 blood test. (This test checks for levels of antigen in the blood which is known to be a tumor maker)

What are the chances for a cure?
Depending on when you are diagnosed your chances can be very high. As long as you have been diagnosed early on the answer is an amazing rate of 70 - 90% in your favor. Sadly most patients wait to long to be checked out and then it is too late.

How is ovarian cancer treated?
Depending on how far the cancer has spread and how much damage it already did, you may have to have one or both ovaries and the uterus removed. In some cases a full hysterectomy is necessary.
At advanced stages with wide spread cancer chemo therapy (chemo drug is put into blood stream via IV) may be the way you have you have to go. In some extreme cases you it is advisable to shot the chemo drug directly into the stomach via catheter, hence increasing your chances of survival.

How can I prevent this disease?
The disease is most common in woman over 60 years of age, but can hit you at any age. If you have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer get genetic testing for the BRCA I or BRCA II gene done. In some extreme cases with a large percentage of female family members carrying the genes you may decide to have a hysterectomy done as a preventive measure. For the rest of us make sure you get a yearly pelvic exam and please don't be afraid to report any unusual symptoms to your doctor. Remember the doctor is the one person you should never have secrets from. If you are afraid, ask you spouse, parent or best friend to go with you and hold your hand.

Hopefully you will never need this information, but being informed can make the difference between early discovery and death. Live a reasonably healthy lifestyle. Staying in touch with your body is a good way to notice things that may not be right in your system. React on problems you discover and avoid denial. You can make the difference in your life; nobody else can do that for you.

For family members of a cancer sufferer I urge you to read as much as possible about this and any other form of cancer. Ask questions from Doctors and specialists. Keep your hope up and try to stay strong. You can find organizations and support groups to help you when things get tough.

You can find a wonderful little quiz at the magazine version of woman's day to figure out your own risk. Make sure you read their Sept 12^th 2007 Issue for another wonderful Article on ovarian cancer by Winnie Yu. You can also check at ovarian.org for further information. For other cancer related subjects visit www.cancer.org.