Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer refers to the development of cancerous cells in one or both of a woman's ovaries. The ovaries not only store and release unfertilised eggs but also are responsible for producing the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

When ovarian cancer develops, it begins with a cyst forming on the surface of the ovaries. The cyst may either contain fluid or be a solid mass of flesh. Most ovarian cysts are benign (not dangerous) and will eventually disappear over time. However, if the cyst does not go away, it may do one of three things:

  • It may invade, where the cyst grows and starts to invade the organs around the ovaries, like the fallopian tubes.
  • It may shed; meaning that smaller cancerous cells (referred to as "seeds" by doctors) would break off from the cyst and spread to other organs in the abdomen
  • It may spread; where cancerous cells travel to other parts of the body, like the lymph nodes or the lungs and liver via the bloodstream

What are the symptoms?

While ovarian cancer is difficult to detect during the early stages of its development, women who experience the following symptoms may have the disease:

  • A bloated stomach
  • A constant feeling of exhaustion
  • Pressure in their legs, back, abdomen or pelvis
  • Nausea, constipation, feeling bloated or diarrhoea

Less common symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Urinate oftenly
  • Unusual vaginal bleeding ( heavy periods or bleeding after menopause)

Who is at risk?

Women have higher chance of developing ovarian cancer if:

  • There is a history of cancer in their families
  • They have had cancer in the past
  • They have been on hormone therapy for longer than 10 years
  • Are over the age of 55
  • Have never been pregnant

It should be noted that even if a woman has any of these risk factors, this does not guarantee that she will develop the disease.


What is the diagnosis?

In order to determine whether a woman is suffering from ovarian cancer, the following tests may be performed:

  • A pelvic exam, where doctor feels the ovaries and the surrounding organs for any lumps. The doctor may also perform a pap smear, where a sample of cells are taken from the woman's cervix
  • An ultrasound, where sound waves bounce off the organs and reveal the presence of a tumour, if there is one.
  • A blood test that checks for certain substances that indicate the presence of cancerous cells.
  •  A biopsy, where tissue or fluid is removed and tested to see whether there is any cancer present. If cancer is found, the doctor may recommend surgery (a laparotomy). Surgery is usually the best method of determining whether there are any cancerous cells or not.

Treatment

After diagnosing the disease, a doctor may recommend several different types of treatment. These are:

  • Intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The cancerous cells can be directly targeted as a thin tube is fed directly into the pelvis.
  • Systemic chemotherapy. With this type of chemotherapy, the medication is taken orally or injected into the patient's blood. It helps by controlling and destroying the cancerous cells.
  • Local therapy. This refers to radiation therapy and surgery that either destroy or remove the cancerous cells. Local therapy is only applied to the specific area suffering from the cancer.

Consult your doctor if you feel that you have experienced any of the above-mentioned symptoms. Follow the links for more information.

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Last Update: 02 August 2010