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The Facts about Ovarian Cancer
by Letitia Holloway Owens

What is Ovarian Cancer?

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Ovarian cancer, as the name implies, begins in the ovaries. There are two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus in the pelvis. The ovaries produce eggs (called ova). They are also the main source of a woman's female hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

How Many Women are Affected?

• Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women (not counting skin cancer).
• It ranks fifth as the cause of cancer death in women.
• It is estimated that there will be about 20,180 new cases (incidence) of ovarian cancer in the U.S. this year.
• It is slightly more common in white women than African-American women.
• The risk of getting this cancer and dying from it is 1 in 95.

Risk Factors

There is no known cause for Ovarian Cancer. There are some factors that increase a woman's chance of developing the most common type of ovarian cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer. These include:

Age: Most ovarian cancers happen after change of life (menopause). Half of all these cancers are found in women over the age of 63.

Menstrual periods: Women who started having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who went through the change of life (menopause) after the age of 50 have a small increased risk of ovarian cancer. The same is true for women who have not had children, or had their first child after they were 30 years old.

Family history: Ovarian cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives (mother, sister, daughter) have (or had) this disease. The relatives can be from either the mother's or father's side of the family. There is a higher risk if ovarian cancer happened at an early age.

Some studies have also mentioned the following as increasing the risk for ovarian cancer:

• Breast cancer
• Talcum powder
• Infertility and the use of clomiphene citrate (a fertility drug also known as Clomid)
• Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)
• Smoking and alcohol use

Symptoms

Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer can be very vague and resemble other illnesses.

Symptoms might include:

• swelling of the stomach (abdomen) from a buildup of fluid
• unusual vaginal bleeding
• pelvic pressure
• back or leg pain
• GI problems such as gas, bloating, long-term stomach pain, constipation, or indigestion

These symptoms can be caused by something else but it is better to make an appointment to rule out ovarian cancer. The vagueness of the symptoms also reiterates the importance of paying close attention to your body and your overall health. No matter how insignificant you think the symptoms might be, address them with your doctor.

Diagnosis

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If you have any of the symptoms above, report them to your doctor right away. If ovarian cancer is suspected, your doctor will order the appropriate tests for confirmation.

One test that you might have heard of is the CA-125 blood test. CA-125 is a blood test. CA-125 is a blood protein that is higher than normal is women with ovarian cancer. This test, along with imaging studies such as an MRI, ultrasound or CT scans (computed tomography) can help Your doctor will then

About 20 percent of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage which improves upon successful treatment.

90 percent of women treated for early ovarian cancer will live longer than 5 years after the cancer is found. Unfortunately, there is no reliable test for finding this cancer early, but several large studies are in progress to learn how best to find ovarian cancer in its earliest stage.

Treatment

The main treatments for ovarian cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In some cases 2 or even all 3 of these treatments will be used.

What can you do?

Ask your physician for referrals to low-cost or free screening programs.

Enlist a friend or relative and the two of you can serve as reminders to one another to make and keep annual screening appointments.

Share this website with the women in your life. It gives an update on gynecological cancers, including ovarian cancer. http://www.thegcf.org/State_of
_Gynecologic_Cancers_2005.pdf

For more information visit:

Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry Toll-free number: 1-800-OVARIAN (1-800-682-7426) Internet Address: www.ovariancancer.com 

Gynecologic Cancer Foundation Telephone: 1-800-444-4441 Internet Address: www.thegcf.org

National Cancer Institute Telephone 1-800-4-CANCER Internet Addresses: www.cancer.gov

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Telephone: 1-888-682-7426 (1-888-OVARIAN) Internet Address: www.ovarian.org

Office of Women's Health Telephone: 1-800-994-WOMAN Internet Address: www.4woman.gov

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance Telephone: 202-331-1332 Internet Address: www.ovariancancer.org

Remember, annual check-ups can SAVE YOUR LIFE! Schedule yours today!

Until next time,
Good Health and Peace of Jesus, Letitia

Source: The American Cancer Society

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