Ovarian Cancer

Preventing ovarian cancer means, first, understanding your risk profile and going for regular pelvic exams. Second, know the symptoms. Seventy percent of all ovarian cancer is discovered in an advanced stage that does not respond well to treatment. However, if discovered early, it carries an 85 to 95 percent five year survival rate.

Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as well as the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer occurs when cells grow in an uncontrolled, abnormal manner and produce tumors in one or both ovaries.

Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women. It's diagnosed in about 23,000 women in the United States each year, and almost 14,000 women die of the disease annually.

Your chances of surviving ovarian cancer are better if the cancer is found early. But because the disease is difficult to detect in its early stage, only 25 percent of ovarian cancers are found before tumor growth has spread into tissues and organs beyond the ovaries. Most of the time, the disease has already advanced before it's diagnosed.

Because ovarian cancer is often deadly and the signs and symptoms are subtle, knowing them is important to detect the disease as early as possible. See your doctor or gynecologist for a yearly pelvic examination and Pap test, which may help to detect the disease early.

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In its early stages, ovarian cancer is often a silent condition producing few, if any, noticeable signs and symptoms. As a tumor grows in an ovary, it may exert pressure on your bowel, bladder and other organs in your abdominal cavity, causing vague symptoms that are easily confused with those of other conditions.
Many symptoms can be indications of other less serious conditions, but if they persist they may indicate ovarian cancer. Consult your doctor if you experience any or all of the following signs and symptoms:

• Abdominal swelling
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Indigestion, gas or nausea
• A feeling of pressure in your pelvis
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained changes in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea)
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
• A feeling of fullness, even after a light meal
• Abnormal bleeding from your vagina
• Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)

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Several factors may increase a woman's risk of ovarian cancer. Having one or more of these risk factors doesn't mean that you're sure to develop ovarian cancer, but your risk may be higher than that of the average woman. These risk factors include:

• Family history - This is the most important risk factor for ovarian cancer. A family history of ovarian cancer in a first-degree relative — mother, daughter or sister — increases your risk of developing the disease. The likelihood is greater if two or more first-degree relatives have had ovarian cancer. A family history of breast or colorectal cancer also is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
• Age - Ovarian cancer generally develops after menopause, and women older than 60 are at highest risk. Although most cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in older women, the disease can also occur in younger women.
• Childbearing status - Women who have had at least one pregnancy appear to have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer. Similarly, the use of oral contraceptives appears to offer some protection against ovarian cancer.
• Infertility - If you've had trouble conceiving or had your first child late in life, you may be at increased risk.

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There is no routine screening program for ovarian cancer. By the time there are symptoms indicating that there may be ovarian cancer, the cancer is usually at a later stage. Since early detection is nearly impossible, prevention is key. Several factors appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. They include:

• Oral contraception (birth control pills) - The use of oral contraceptives can decrease a woman's risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 60 percent. Usage should total at least 5 years and does not have to be continuous.
• Breast-feeding and pregnancy - Giving birth to one or more children, particularly if the first child was born before you reached age 30, and breast-feeding may decrease your risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• Tubal ligation - In this surgical procedure, the fallopian tubes are tied to prevent pregnancy. Tubal ligation doesn't prevent all or even most cases of ovarian cancer. It shouldn't be done solely to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
• The surgical removal of both ovaries is sometimes recommended to the highest risk women after the age of 40; however, because this treatment causes premature menopause, it is highly controversial.

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Treatment of ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation is used occasionally.

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Ovarian cancer has a 78% survival rate for patients one year after diagnosis. However, there is only a 50% survival rate five years after diagnosis. Only 25% of ovarian cancers are caught at the localized stage.

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* Text Resources: The Mayo Clinic Staff