Five Frequently Asked Questions about Ovarian Cancer

In the United States of America, it is being reported that the seventh most cancer among women is the ovarian cancer. Approximately, there are at least 25,000 women who are diagnosed with the disease annually. Moreover, it is considered the fifth leading reason why women dies because it is not diagnosed as cancer until the cancer cells had grown extensively in the ovaries and the surrounding tissues and organs. This informative article will discuss about five frequently asked questions about ovarian cancer.

1. What is ovarian cancer?

Basically, ovarian cancer occurs when there is a growth and spread of cancer cells in one or both the ovaries of a woman which will extensively grow and will affect the distant and adjacent tissues and organs such as the pelvic and the abdomen. Lymph nodes and bloodstreams going to all parts of the body can also be affected.

2. What are the causes of ovarian cancer?

Today, there had been no definite explanation about the causes of ovarian cancer and why is happening but several studies claim that there are many things to explain how it happens. Risk factors such as the family history, personal medical history (previous breast or colon cancer), age, childbearing status, HRT, medicines related for fertility and sometimes they associate it with talcum powder exposure are believed to have been associated of the occurrence of the disease.

3. What are the stages of the ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer has 4 stages. The cancer is in stage one if only one ovary is affected while stage two is both of the ovaries are affected. Stage ovarian cancer means that the cancer cells have already spread into the pelvic and abdomen while stage 4 indicates that there is a spread in the distant organs such as the lungs and the bowels. However, it is being noted that when cancer cells are in just in the surface of the lungs and not inside of it, it is still stage ovarian cancer.

4. What are the ovarian cancer symptoms?

According to some relevant studies, symptoms of the cancer include pelvic pain or discomfort, the urgency for urinating and sometimes there is abdominal bloating or fullness. Other symptoms are nausea, erratic bowel changes (constipation), loss of appetite, abdominal girth enlargement, dyspareunia (sexual intercourse pain), and sometimes, changes in menstruation.

5. What are the treatments for ovarian cancer?

There are three ovarian cancer treatments available at the moment. Surgery is the most common and usually it is being combined with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Surgery means that the doctor needs to have a small incision in the pelvic cavity to examine the stage of the cancer as well as to perform debulking (removal of the cancer tissues as much as possible). Chemotherapy can be administered alone or after the surgery. Although radiotherapy is not a common option, it is best to use in earlier stages such as stage 1. Before taking any of the treatments it is best to ask for second opinion so that you can have the best treatment for the cancer.