Types, Stages, Symptoms, and More
Ovarian cancer starts in cells on or in an ovary.
Ovarian cancer can develop at any age.
But it’s most common in postmenopausal women.
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This article discusses ovarian cancer’s risk factors, symptoms, treatment options, and fertility.
About 1.1% of women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer during their lifetime.
Early Signs
Ovarian cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms in the early stages.
The symptoms that do occur tend to be rather vague and can easily be attributed to something else.
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer
The risk of getting ovarian cancer increases with age.
It’s rare in women under age 40.
More than half of all cases occur in women who are 63 or older.
Otherovarian cancer risk factorsinclude:
Having risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll get ovarian cancer.
It’s also possible to get ovarian cancer even without apparent risk factors.
A high level of CA-125 can be an indicator of ovarian cancer.
Other blood tests help screen for other types of cancers.
Inhibin and HCG screen for certain germ cell tumors (forming in the egg cells of the ovary).
CEA and CA19-9 screens for rare subtypes of mucinous ovarian cancers (large fluid-filled cells).
Laparoscopy
Laparoscopyinvolves a small incision in your lower abdomen.
Through this opening, a practitioner can view the ovaries and surrounding area using a thin, lighted tube.
The small hysteroscope instrument is used to evaluate and confirm the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Can a Pap Smear Detect Ovarian Cancer?
You may get a Pap test and a pelvic exam as you seek a diagnosis.
However, a Pap test checks forcervical cancer.
It can’t detect ovarian cancer.
A pelvic exam is an important part of ovarian cancer screening.
Sometimes, this is one of the first ways that an ovarian mass is felt.
Most ovarian cysts are harmless, and many clear up without treatment.
It may involve a combination of several types of therapies.
Surgery
The goal of surgery is to remove as much cancer as possible.
Some chemo drugs are available in pill form, while others require intravenous (IV) administration.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapyuses X-rays to destroy cancer cells.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapies attack specific characteristics of cancer cells.
It might treat ovarian stromal tumors but rarely is prescribed for epithelial ovarian cancer.
But there are options for those who want to get pregnant in the future.
These options depend on cancer’s stage, bang out, and location.
Can You Prevent Ovarian Cancer?
There’s no way to completely prevent ovarian cancer.
These statistics are of women diagnosed more than five years ago and may not reflect the latest treatments.
As with all cancers, there are many variables.
Your individual outlook depends on factors such as stage at diagnosis, age, and overall health.
Your oncologist can give you a better understanding of your own prognosis.
Your oncology team may be able to point you toward resources in your area.
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