Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer which happens in women. As you know, ovaries are some small pair of organs which are located in the tummy and are connected with the womb. This is a place where a woman’s supplies of eggs are going to store. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully. Ovarian cancer mostly affects women who have been through the menopause, (usually over the age of 50). It can sometimes affect the women who are younger and its symptoms are also different due to the person’s reaction to this disease.  

Symptoms

Common ovarian cancer symptoms are including:

• feeling constantly bloated
• a swollen tummy
• discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
• feeling full quickly when eating
• needing to urinate more often than normal
• weight loss
• changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• back pain
• vaginal bleeding – particularly bleeding after the menopause
• discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area

You should know that normally the symptoms are not easy to recognize because they are so similar and sometimes very common in different conditions, such as the irritable bowel syndrome which in short form we call it IBS. 

When to see your doctor?

See your doctor if:

• you’ve been feeling bloated most days for the last three weeks
• you have other symptoms of ovarian cancer that won’t go away
• you have a family history of ovarian cancer and are worried you may be at a high risk of getting it

Although there is a low possibility that you have ovarian cancer but it is also necessary to check it out. You doctor will do some simple tests to check whether you have it or not. If you have a member in your family with the history of this cancer you should be aware that any ovarian cancer symptoms can be a warning for you. Your GP may also refer you to a genetics specialist to discuss your case.

What causes ovarian cancer?

Although ovarian cancer symptoms are known, we can say that the causes of this disease are almost unknown. But doctors have identified factors that can increase the risk of the disease.

• being over 50 years old
• a family history of ovarian or breast cancer – this could mean you’ve inherited genes that increase your risk of developing ovarian cancer
• estrogen hormone replacement therapy
• endometriosis – a condition where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb is found outside the womb
• being overweight
• no history of pregnancy
• age when menstruation started and ended

Beginning menstruation at an early age or starting menopause at a later age, or both may increase the risk of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer stages

Your doctor determines the stage based on how far cancer has spread. There are four stages, and each stage has sub-stages:

Stage 1

It has three sub-stages:

• Stage 1A: The cancer is limited, or localized, to one ovary.
• Stage 1B: The cancer is in both ovaries.
• Stage 1C: There are also cancer cells on the outside of the ovary.

Stage 2

In this stage, the tumor has spread to other pelvic structures. It has two sub-stages:

• Stage 2A: cancer has spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes.
• Stage 2B: cancer spread to the bladder or rectum.

Stage 3

It has three sub-stages:

• Stage 3A: cancer has spread beyond the pelvis to the lining of the abdomen and the lymph nodes in the abdomen.
• Stage 3B: The cancer cells are outside of the spleen or liver.
• Stage 3C: Deposits of cancer at least 3/4 of an inch are seen on the abdomen or outside the spleen or liver. However, the cancer isn’t inside the spleen or liver.

Stage 4

In stage 4, the tumor has metastasized, or spread, beyond the pelvis, abdomen, and lymph nodes to the liver or lungs. There are two sub-stages in stage 4:

• In stage 4A, the cancerous cells are in the fluid around the lungs.
• In stage 4B, the most advanced stage, the cells have reached the inside of the spleen or liver or even other distant organs like the skin or brain.

Treatment

The treatment depends on some special things such as how far cancer has spread and your general health is also important when it comes to ovarian cancer. The main treatments are:

Surgery

Surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer. It aims to remove as much as cancer possible – this will often involve removing both ovaries, the womb and the tubes connecting them to each other (fallopian tubes)

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation treatments, attack the cancer cells while doing little damage to normal cells in the body. Newer targeted therapies to treat advanced epithelial ovarian cancer include bevacizumab (Avastin) and olaparib (Lynparza). Doctors only use olaparib in people with mutations in the BRCA genes. Treatment will aim to cure cancer whenever possible. If cancer has spread too far to be cured, the aim is to relieve symptoms and control cancer for as long as possible.

Fertility preservation

Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, can damage your reproductive organs, making it difficult to become pregnant. If you want to become pregnant in the future, talk to your doctor before starting treatment. They can discuss your options for possibly preserving your fertility.

Possible fertility preservation options include:

• Embryo freezing. This involves freezing a fertilized egg.
• Oocyte freezing. This procedure involves freezing an unfertilized egg.
• Surgery to preserve fertility. In some cases, surgery that only removes one ovary and keeps the healthy ovary can be done. This is usually only possible in early-stage ovarian cancer.
• Ovarian tissue preservation. This involves removing and freezing ovarian tissue for future use.
• Ovarian suppression. This involves taking hormones to suppress ovarian function temporarily.

Prevention

There are no certain ways to totally eliminate the risk of developing this cancer. But there are steps you can take to lower your risk. These steps include:

• taking oral birth control pills
• breastfeeding
• pregnancy
• surgical procedures on your reproductive organs (like a tubal ligation or hysterectomy)

 

Conclusion

Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to multiply out of control and form a tumor. If left untreated, the tumor can spread to other parts of the body. This is called metastatic ovarian cancer. The ovaries are two female reproductive glands that produce ova, or eggs. They also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer often has warning signs, but the earliest symptoms are vague and easy to dismiss. Twenty percent of ovarian cancers are detected at an early stage