Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs, estrogen and progesterone. Each ovary is about the size of an almond.
An ovarian tumor is a growth of abnormal cells that may be cancerous. There are three types of ovarian tumors: epithelial, germ cell and stromal.
Non-cancerous cells do not spread to other body tissue, but cancerous cells can spread. They can spread directly to adjacent tissue or organs in the pelvis and abdomen and they can spread through the bloodstream or lymph channels to other body parts.
Symptoms
Many symptoms of ovarian cancer can mimic symptoms of other conditions, most commonly digestive and bladder disorders. Because of this, many women are misdiagnosed. Some symptoms of ovarian cancer include:
- Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
- Urinary urgency
- Pelvic discomfort and pain
- Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
- Unexplained bowel habit changes
- Bladder habit changes
- Loss of appetite or feeling full quickly
- Increased abdominal girth
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Lack of energy
- Low back pain
- Menstruation changes
These symptoms will get worse if due to ovarian cancer. If they are due to a digestive or bladder disorder, they will only occur in certain situations or with certain foods.
Risk Factors
There are factors that can increase the risk of possibly getting ovarian cancer. They include:
- Inherited gene mutation: Two breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) have been linked to not only breast cancer but also ovarian cancer. According to ACS, the risk with BRCA1 is 35 to 70 percent higher and with BRCA2 the risk is 10 to 30 percent higher.
- Family history: Having a family history of ovarian cancer can increase the risk by 10 to 15 percent according to the ACS.
- Breast cancer history: If a person has breast cancer, the higher the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
- Age: Ovarian cancer usually develops after menopause.
- Childbearing status: If a woman has had at least one pregnancy, she appears to be at a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer.
- Infertility: Whether taking fertility treatments or not, infertility can put a woman at an increased risk.
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): According to Gynecologic Oncology journal, there is a confirmed link between HRT and a greater risk of ovarian cancer. It appears to be highest among women who took HRT for five or more years.
- Obesity: If a woman is obese, the greater risk of ovarian cancer.
- Male hormones: The male hormone androgen found in the medication danazol is used to treat endometriosis and is linked to a greater risk in ovarian cancer.
There are a few things that appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. They are oral contraception, pregnancy, breast feeding, tubal ligation and hysterectomy.
Stages
The earlier ovarian cancer is treated, the better the recovery. Only 20 percent of ovarian cancers are found before the tumor growth has spread beyond the ovaries according to the Mayo Clinic. There are four stages of ovarian cancer:
- Stage I: cancer is confined to one or both ovaries
- Stage II: cancer has spread to other body organs such as the pelvis, uterus or fallopian tubes
- Stage III: cancer has spread to the abdomen lining or to the lymph nodes in the abdomen. This is the most common stage for diagnosis.
- Stage IV: cancer has spread to organs beyond the abdomen
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