Q-1: Why should people learn more about ovarian cancer?
A: The general population knows very little about ovarian cancer. In the U.S. this year more than
20,180 women will be diagnosed with this deadly disease, and over
15,310 will die from it. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than all other gynecologic cancers combined, simply because it is usually diagnosed in its late stages when it is more difficult to treat.
with early diagnosis and specialized care, survival rates increase
dramatically.
Q-2: Doesn't ovarian cancer usually strike "older" women, and isn't it mostly
hereditary?
A: No, and No. Though the median age for getting ovarian cancer is 55, females of all ages are at risk. We have young girls six years old getting this disease. No woman is safe from this disease…every female is at risk.
Ovarian cancer is hereditary in only about 5-10% of the cases. The rest are just "random." It just happens. That means that 90-95% occur in women with no family history or hereditary factor for ovarian cancer. These are your wives, your sisters, your mothers, and yes…even your daughters.
up
Q-3: We have a lot of older women in southwest Florida, and many of them have probably had their ovaries removed. So, they don't have to worry…right?
A: So many women think that they are "safe" and cannot get ovarian cancer if they’ve had their ovaries removed. Wrong!
So, how can this happen?
The ovaries and the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen and pelvic area) arise from the same developing cells. Therefore, the origin of their cells is virtually identical... Even if a woman has had her ovaries removed, she still has all those cells in her peritoneum that are “just like” her ovary cells. Anything that can cause ovarian cancer in the ovaries can also cause it to begin in the peritoneum. If this occurs, it is called Primary Peritoneal Cancer.
Primary Peritoneal Cancer is diagnosed and staged in the same way as ovarian cancer. Treatment and prognosis are the same. Primary Peritoneal Cancer accounts for as much as 20% of all ovarian cancers. Recent studies indicate that the percentage might be even higher than that.
Primary Peritoneal Cancer can also occur in women with ovaries. If the cancer begins in the peritoneum and the ovaries are either not cancerous at all or are only minimally involved, then the woman has Primary Peritoneal Cancer.
For additional information:
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=6029
http://www.baymoon.com/~gyncancer/library/glossary/bldefppc.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8467455&dopt=Citation
Q-4: We've all heard that this is "The Silent Killer." Why is that?
A: Ovarian Cancer is not silent… it is subtle. Symptoms are often vague and the symptoms can usually be attributed to something else.
Recent studies indicate that symptoms are usually present, even in
the early stage of the disease. Many women have mild symptoms, but don't go to their doctor about them. If they go to their doctor,
they are sometimes misdiagnosed and treated for some other ailment. Women (and, unfortunately, some medical
practitioners) are not well informed about ovarian cancer symptoms.
up
Q-5: Ovarian cancer can be very difficult to diagnose, can't it?
A: Yes, it certainly can. There are many women that did go to their
doctor when they had persistent constipation and an enlarged abdomen.
Their abdomen had bloated within a very short period of time, and
they were unable to button their shorts and slacks. Most went to a gastroenterologist, and
the standard tests were run (which all came back negative) and they
were then diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Most women just do not think that Irritable Bowel Syndrome could account for
an enlarged abdomen, and they asked for more tests. When the women
were given a CT-scan, it revealed fluid in the abdomen; this fluid was drained, and there were cancer cells in it.
The doctor was probably not looking for ovarian cancer in women who
do not have ovaries.
Q-6: So, how can doctors diagnose ovarian cancer?
A: Well, first and foremost, they need to know about ovarian cancer, and they need to be looking for it. They must understand that 90-95% of ovarian cancer cases are sporadic in nature with no discernible pattern of inheritance.
They need to listen carefully to their patients and take women's complaints seriously. They need to be vigilant in the pursuit of early diagnosis of ovarian cancer by raising their index of suspicion. I believe that, if a woman comes to them with any ovarian cancer symptom, they should rule out ovarian cancer first, not last. All too often, women are put through a battery of tests for other things for many months before they are ultimately diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer becomes more lethal the longer it goes undiagnosed. If a woman has any ovarian cancer symptom, this is the first thing that she should be tested for.
But doctors cannot do this alone. Women must assume their share of the
responsibility for early diagnosis. They must know their risk factors; they must
know the symptoms; they must have a routine annual gynecologic exam that includes a pelvic exam, and they must go to their doctors if they have persistent symptoms; and they should express their concern about ovarian cancer to their doctors.
And, the key here is persistent symptoms or symptoms that increase in intensity or frequency. We all have symptoms from time to time that are on the list of ovarian cancer symptoms. But if any symptom lasts more than two weeks, that woman should get to her doctor.
If her doctor suspects ovarian cancer, or any gynecologic cancer, the patient should be referred to a GYN cancer specialist (i.e., a gynecologic oncologist) for consultation and treatment.
up
Q-7: What are the symptoms for ovarian cancer?
A: There are many. And, you don't need to have a lot of symptoms. Any one of the
following is cause for concern if it lasts more than two weeks:
- Pelvic or abdominal swelling, bloating, or feeling of fullness
- Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
- Vague, but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, or indigestion
- Frequent or urgent urination without an infection
- Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
- Unexplained changes in bowel habits
NOTE: A Pap smear does not detect Ovarian Cancer. Women without ovaries are still at
risk (see question 3).
Now you see what is meant when it is said that everyone has these symptoms from time to time. The key is persistence. This bears repeating…if any one symptom lasts more than two weeks, the woman should go to her doctor and discuss ovarian cancer and be tested for it.
Q-8: What about risk factors? What kinds of things might put a woman at higher risk for ovarian cancer?
A: Many doctors believe that women who have even one of these factors that could put them at higher risk should be evaluated annually for ovarian cancer.
These include:
- Increasing age
- Personal or family history of breast, ovarian, endometrial, prostate, or color cancer
- Infertility
- Heritage (e.g., Ashkenazi Jewish or Northern European ancestry)
up
Q-9: If a woman has any of the ovarian cancer symptoms persistently, or if she has any of the known risk factors that place her at higher risk for ovarian cancer, how can she be tested for ovarian cancer?
A: First of all, please remember that PAP SMEARS DO NOT DETECT OVARIAN CANCER. Many women mistakenly think they are safe because they had a normal Pap smear during their annual exam.
Any woman who has persistent symptoms of ovarian cancer or who has even one of the factors that places them at higher risk for this disease should, of course, be tested for ovarian cancer.
But every woman should undergo an annual bimanual rectovaginal pelvic examination by a trained physician. Most women do not know what a bimanual rectovaginal pelvic examination is. All gynecologists are trained in this examination method. The doctor inserts one finger in the vagina and one finger in the rectum, both fingers from the same hand, at the same time. Then the doctor presses on the woman's abdomen so that a thorough examination of the female reproductive organs can take place…including the ovaries.
In addition, women can be given a CA-125 blood test. While this test is not 100% accurate (because it can give false negatives and false positives), approximately 80% of women who have ovarian cancer will have an elevated CA-125. The normal range for this inexpensive blood test is 0-35. Anything higher than 35 is suspect, and further testing is warranted. The CA-125 should be used only as part of a diagnostic regimen that includes the bimanual rectovaginal pelvic exam and, if warranted, a transvaginal sonogram.
Q-10: How can women get more information about ovarian cancer?
A: They can call the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Florida-Gulf Coast at 239.455.0554.
Request information HERE or they can access the following web sites:
www.flagynonc.com
www.ovariancancer.org
www.ovarian.org
www.wcn.org
up
|
