Ovarian Cancer
What Happens In Ovarian Cancer?
Cancer starts in the female reproductive organs and spreads throughout the body (ovaries). Ovarian cancer is frequently diagnosed after it has progressed to the pelvis and stomach. Ovarian cancer is more difficult to cure and can be deadly at this stage. In the early stages of ovarian cancer, there are generally no symptoms. Symptoms, such as loss of appetite and weight loss, are connected with later phases, but they can be non-specific.
When aberrant cells in the ovary begin to multiply out of control and form a tumour, this is referred to as ovarian cancer. The tumour might spread to other places of the body if it is not treated. Metastatic ovarian cancer is the term for this type of malignancy. Warning indications of ovarian cancer are common, although the early symptoms are typically vague and easy to dismiss. Ovarian cancer is discovered at an early stage in 20% of cases.
Causes
Ovarian cancer has yet to be recognised as a cause, yet scientists have identified factors that potentially raise the risk of the disease. Ovarian cancer develops when cells in or near the ovaries have alterations (mutations) in their DNA, according to doctors. The DNA of a cell includes the instructions that tell it what to do. The alterations cause the cells to reproduce and develop rapidly, resulting in a mass (tumour) of cancer cells. When healthy cells die, malignant cells continue to live. They can infect adjacent tissues and break away from a primary tumour to move to other parts of the body (metastasize).
Symptoms
Because the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are similar to those of other common ailments or come and go, it’s easy to overlook them. Early signs and symptoms include bloating, pressure and pain in the abdomen, you feel unusually full after eating, difficulty in eating and an increase in urination.
Other signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer include fatigue, indigestion, heartburn, constipation, backache, menstrual abnormalities, pain during intercourse and Dermatomyositis.
Diagnosis
When your doctor discovers ovarian cancer early on, it’s considerably easier to treat. It is, however, difficult to identify. Because your ovaries are deep within the abdominal cavity, you won’t feel a tumour. Ovarian cancer does not have a standard diagnostic screening. That’s why it’s critical that you tell your doctor if you’re experiencing any strange or persistent symptoms.
A pelvic check will almost certainly be recommended if your doctor suspects you have ovarian cancer. Although a pelvic exam can assist your doctor in detecting anomalies, tiny ovarian cancers are difficult to detect. The tumour presses against the bladder and rectum as it grows. During a rectovaginal pelvic examination, your doctor may be able to discover anomalies.
The following tests may be performed by your doctor:
- Ultrasound in the vaginal canal (TVUS): TVUS is a sort of ultrasound imaging test that detects cancers in the reproductive organs, especially the ovaries, using sound waves. TVUS, on the other hand, cannot assist your doctor in determining whether tumours are malignant.
- CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis: They may request a pelvic MRI scan if you are allergic to dye.
- Blood test: Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels are measured using a blood test. A CA-125 test is a biomarker for ovarian cancer and other reproductive organ tumours that are used to monitor therapy response. CA-125 levels in the blood can be affected by menstruation, uterine fibroids, and uterine cancer.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is a procedure that includes taking a small sample of tissue from the ovary and examining it under a microscope. It’s crucial to remember that, while all of these tests can assist your doctor in making a diagnosis, only a biopsy can confirm whether you have ovarian cancer.
Diagnosis
When your doctor discovers ovarian cancer early on, it’s considerably easier to treat. It is, however, difficult to identify. Because your ovaries are deep within the abdominal cavity, you won’t feel a tumour. Ovarian cancer does not have a standard diagnostic screening. That’s why it’s critical that you tell your doctor if you’re experiencing any strange or persistent symptoms.
A pelvic check will almost certainly be recommended if your doctor suspects you have ovarian cancer. Although a pelvic exam can assist your doctor in detecting anomalies, tiny ovarian cancers are difficult to detect. The tumour presses against the bladder and rectum as it grows. During a rectovaginal pelvic examination, your doctor may be able to discover anomalies.
The following tests may be performed by your doctor:
- Ultrasound in the vaginal canal (TVUS): TVUS is a sort of ultrasound imaging test that detects cancers in the reproductive organs, especially the ovaries, using sound waves. TVUS, on the other hand, cannot assist your doctor in determining whether tumours are malignant.
- CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis: They may request a pelvic MRI scan if you are allergic to dye.
- Blood test: Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels are measured using a blood test. A CA-125 test is a biomarker for ovarian cancer and other reproductive organ tumours that are used to monitor therapy response. CA-125 levels in the blood can be affected by menstruation, uterine fibroids, and uterine cancer.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is a procedure that includes taking a small sample of tissue from the ovary and examining it under a microscope. It’s crucial to remember that, while all of these tests can assist your doctor in making a diagnosis, only a biopsy can confirm whether you have ovarian cancer.
Treatment
Ovarian cancer is often treated with surgery and chemotherapy.
Surgeries:
- Hysterectomy
- Omentectomy
- Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection
- Laparotomy
- Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection
- Salpingo Oophorectomy
- Lymph Node Dissection