Ovarian cancer awareness month is held in February to make people aware of ovarian cancer symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. In Australia, one in 77 women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime. If ovarian cancer is diagnosed at an early age, up to 95% of women will be alive and well after five years.
What is ovarian cancer?
There is one pair of ovaries in female reproductive system, which are oval shaped glands and there function is to produce eggs (ova). These are also the main source of female sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
Ovarian cancer results in abnormal cells that have ability to spread to other parts of body which leads to various symptoms.
Who are at risk?
The causes of ovarian cancer are still unknown but some risk factors are worth noting.
Age: Risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age. Women over 50 years and more are likely to develop ovarian cancer.
Family history: Around 5-10% of ovarian cancer is associated with heredity. Women who have one or more close relatives with the disease have an increased risk of having ovarian cancer. Genes like BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 results in high risk for development of ovarian cancer. Family history of breast or colon cancer also increases risk of ovarian cancer.
Reproductive history: Women who start early menstruation (at less than 12 years of age) and those who go through late menopause have increased risk of having ovarian cancer. Also risk is increased for women who have not taken birth control pills or had their first child after 30 years of age.
Medication: Using Hormone Replacement Therapy for long periods (over 10 years) also increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
What are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose due to vague symptoms. Women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have following sign and symptoms:
Abdominal discomfort such as feeling of pressure or bloating.
Feeling of full quickly
Urinary symptoms such as urgency and frequency
Pain during sexual intercourse
Menstrual irregularities
Excessive fatigue
Backache
Loss of appetite
Constipation
Tiredness
Breathlessness
How diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of ovarian cancer is made by pelvic examination and test in addition to general physical examination.
Pelvic examination: Doctor feels the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder and rectum to check for any unusual changes suggestive of cancer spread.
Imaging test: Abdominal and trans-vaginal USG (USG probe is inserted in vagina), CT, MRI, PET scans are done to visualize ovarian cancer spread.
Blood test: Women with ovarian cancer have high level of tumor marker called CA-125. Although, it is not specific for ovarian cancer. It can be increased in other conditions like menstruation, endometriosis and menopause.
Colonoscopy: Bowel is visualized with a probe to rule out bowel problems.
What is the available treatment?
In cancer care different types of doctors often work together to create a patient’s overall treatment plan that combines different types of treatments. This is called multi-disciplinary team approach. There are various treatment options such as
Surgery – It is usually the main treatment for ovarian cancer. Surgery is often needed to find out the complete extent of the disease. Surgery usually involve removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes. If the cancer is located in only one ovary, then it may be possible to remove only one ovary and fallopian tube. If uterus is involved, then it is also removed. Sometimes it is necessary to remove appendix and part of the bowel
Chemotherapy – Anti cancer medication is almost always given after surgery. Its purpose is to kill any cancer cells that may have been left behind after the surgery.
Where you can get help?
Your doctor and cancer council helpline (131120)
