Everything You Need To Know About Ovarian Cancer

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumour which can occur in one or both ovaries. Malignant tumor means a type of cancer that has the tendency of spreading and getting worse.

if you are a man and you are reading this, you may not be needing this right now because only women have ovaries. men don’t. But for educative purpose, you can read to learn something new.

Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this stage, ovarian cancer is ore difficult to treat and frequently fatal . However , early detections brings out good outcome

While there are several types of ovarian cancers, the three most common types of ovarian cancer are: the common epithelial type (90% of cases) that arises from the cells on the outside of the ovary; the germ cell type (around 4% of cases) that arises from the cells which produce eggs; and the rare stromal type arising from supporting tissues within the ovary.

According to recent study , It was estimated that more than 1,300 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2022. The average age at diagnosis is 66 years old.

What are some of the Signs and symptoms of Ovarian cancer ?

There are often no obvious signs of ovarian cancer, however you may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal bloating or Swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Back, abdominal discomfort or pelvic pain
• Changes in bowel habits including constipation or diarrhoea
• Menstrual irregularities
• Tiredness
• Indigestion
• Pain during intercourse
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain.

These symptoms can be caused by other conditions but if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your local doctor.

Causes Risk Factors of Ovarian Cancer

Some factors that can increase your risk of ovarian cancer include :A

• Age (risk increases for women over 50 to 60)
• Family history of ovarian, breast and bowel cancer
• Changes in the genes BRCA1 or BRCA2
• Being of Ashkenazi Jewish descent
• Early onset of periods (before 12 years) and late menopause
• Women who have not had children or had their first child after the age of 35
• Using oestrogen only hormone replacement therapy or fertility treatment especially in large dose.
• Age when menstruation started and ended. Thus; If you began menstruating before the age of 12 years or underwent menopause after age 52 years , or both, your are at risk of ovarian cancer.
• Never being pregnant
• Fertility treatment
• Smoking
• Use of intrauterine device
• Polycystic ovary syndrome

Some factors that may reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer include using the oral contraceptive pill for several years, having your fallopian tubes tied (or removed), having children before the age of 35 and breastfeeding.

How do doctors Diagnose of ovarian cancer?

If you are experiencing possible symptoms of ovarian cancer your doctor may suggest several tests or scans to look for cysts, tumours or other changes. These may include:

Physical examination

In which the doctor will check your abdomen for any lumps and do an internal vaginal examination.

Blood tests

To check for a common tumour marker for ovarian cancer, CA125.

Pelvic ultrasound

A pelvic ultrasound uses echoes from soundwaves to create a picture of your ovaries and uterus.

CT scan

A CT (computerised tomography) scan uses x-rays to take images of the inside of your body to check for cancer and to see if it has spread.

PET scan

A PET (positron emission tomography) scan highlights abnormal tissues in the body.

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy which is a bowel examination to ensure that symptoms are not caused by a bowel problem.

These tests can show if there are any abnormalities but a biopsy (taking a tissue sample) is the only way to confirm a cancer diagnosis.

After a diagnosis of ovarian cancer 

 After finding out you have ovarian cancer, you may feel shocked, upset, anxious or confused. These are normal responses. It may be helpful to talk about your treatment options with your doctor, family and friends. Seek as much information as you feel you need. It is up to you how involved you want to be in making decisions about your treatment.