Ovarian cancer causes

Every year more than 7,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer occurs when a tumor is formed in the shape of biological organs (ovaries) women.

The cause is still unclear.

Symptoms are often vague, but common symptoms of ovarian cancer include pain constantly pelvis and abdomen, distention, nausea and bloating constantly. Depending on the stage of the cancer, the treatment of ovarian cancer include surgery and chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy.

Many clinical trials and tests used to determine if a woman has ovarian cancer.

There is no screening program for ovarian cancer, but there are certain risk factors that cause a person potentially greater for ovarian cancer include:

Family history. Women who have a history of close relatives with breast cancer or ovarian cancer. There are blood tests to determine levels of CA-125 in which a tumor marker (tumor marker) of ovarian tumors or transvaginal ultrasound. If the levels of CA-125 reaches a certain level, it can be suspected someone suffering from ovarian cancer.

Ovulation. The release of an egg during ovulation each month is suspected of causing some damage to the ovaries for years. If ovulation is prevented, the risk of ovarian cancer decreased. Ovulation stops naturally during pregnancy and lactation. One woman will no longer ovulate after ovaries removed during a hysterectomy or after the menopause. Consumption of oral contraceptives also cause a temporary pause in ovulation.

Lifestyle and diet. Research shows that women who are overweight or obese may have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Weight loss, exercise more, and a healthy balanced diet can help lower the risk.

Other risk factors. Women who receive estrogen (hormone therapy / HRT), or who've used it in the past, are at higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who never received hormone therapy. Although some studies indicate that some drugs, including aspirin, may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer, but still need further study.

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose because symptoms often do not appear until the disease in advanced stages. Symptoms do not occur until the tumor has grown large enough to provide pressure to the other organs in the abdomen, or until the cancer has spread to distant organs. Non-specific symptoms, which means they could be caused by a variety of different disease conditions, and when there are symptoms of abdominal pain, or heartburn, ovarian cancer is not the first thing thought of as the cause. Some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are similar to those in the other, which include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Although ovarian cancer rarely produces symptoms in its early stages, eventually warning signs may include:

• Pelvic pain and abdominal pain continuously
• Increased abdominal size / bloating continuously (not bloating that comes and goes)
• Difficulty eating, feeling full quickly, or feel nauseous

Sometimes urinary symptoms, changes in bowel habits, extreme fatigue, abnormal vaginal bleeding, urinate more frequently or back pain may occur.

Symptoms associated with advanced ovarian cancer include severe nausea, vomiting, pain and weight loss.

Go to a doctor and medical advice about ovarian cancer if:

You have obviously felt abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, especially if these symptoms accompany the symptoms of the more common ones listed above.
Do not let such symptoms continue undiagnosed for more than two weeks.
Physical examination

Every woman should have regular cervical screening test (smear test) because although the Pap test is designed to check for pre-cancerous lesions that can become cervical cancer, there are some rare cases where cells are abnormal ovarian identified with this test. Because the ovaries are usually small, and deep in the pelvis, pelvic examination may not be very effective in detecting early ovarian cancer. Perceived mass large enough to represent the advanced stage of disease.

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Ultrasound: If there is a mass, the doctor may recommend an ultrasound to determine the type of mass.

Ultrasound imaging can detect small mass and can distinguish whether a mass is solid or filled with fluid (cystic).
Complex solid mass or masses (have both cystic and solid components) may be cancer.
Combining Doppler technology to identify certain patterns associated with tumor seems to increase the usefulness of ultrasound screening.
If the ultrasound shows solid mass or complex, the next step is to get mass samples to see whether the tumor is benign or cancerous.
CT (computed tomography) scanning: If the ultrasound shows solid mass or complex, a CT scan of the pelvis can be done.

CT scan is a type of X-ray that shows a more detailed picture of the body and organs of the body in three dimensions.
CT scans provide more information about the size and extent of the tumor. It can also indicate whether the tumor has spread to other organs in the pelvis and other organs in the body.
laboratory tests

Doctors can also suggest carrying out laboratory tests to gather information about the medical condition of women and to detect substances released into the blood to the ovarian cancer is CA-125 (a tumor marker).

The doctor may ask for a pregnancy test if women are in the reproductive age. Mass / lump on the ovaries during pregnancy may be related to an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus).

The level of a tumor marker most studied, CA-125, an increase of more than 80% of women with advanced ovarian cancer and in about 50% of women with early ovarian cancer.
The level of this marker values ​​can be influenced by a number of factors, including age, menstrual status and conditions such as endometriosis, pregnancy, liver disease and congestive heart failure.
Breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and lung kankerparu also secrete marker CA-125
Because these markers can be influenced by many factors that have nothing to do with ovarian cancer, the marker is generally not used for routine screening of women who have no symptoms.
Your doctor may recommend genetic screening for women with a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer. But unfortunately, genetic screening in Indonesia are still rare.

Treatment & Care

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation) may be used to treat ovarian cancer, depending on the stage of the disease.

Treatment of ovarian cancer should be under the direction of an experienced gynecologic oncologist (a specialist in gynecological cancer).

Surgery is the usual treatment was done first for ovarian cancer. When possible, the operation took place during exploratory laparotomy. This operation stops while pathologists analyze biopsied tissue. The pathologist's report was promptly given in determining the structure of the organ affected by cancer. The result will be the determinant of whether a woman will run the operation continued or discontinued operations.

Tests were also performed to assess the stage of the cancer or how much it has grown or spread.

For stage 1 tumors, ovaries and fallopian tubes are involved is being named so pregnant women still have hope in the future. For women who do not want to get pregnant, both ovaries, both fallopian tubes and uterus removed. This procedure usually took the lymph nodes surrounding these organs and omentum. If this type of tumor cells are of particular concern, chemotherapy is usually given as well.
Stage 2 cancer treatment involves removal of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes, resection (partial removal) of any tumor in the pelvic area and resection of any other structures affected by cancer. Chemotherapy is highly recommended.
Phase 3 treatment identical to the second stage of treatment, unless more aggressive chemotherapy and experimental treatments may be given. Some women may be candidates for the treatment of stomach directly. This type of treatment is called peritoneal therapy. This type of therapy is more difficult to be accepted but it can improve survival.
Stage 4 involves the treatment of a broad and multi-agent chemotherapy. After the chemotherapy is completed, the woman may undergo a second operation. The doctor will check the remaining structure of the pelvis and abdomen for evidence of residual cancer. Sample fluids and tissues can be taken to check the residual cancer cells.
The next step / follow-up

Successful treatment of cancer depends on the stage of the cancer when diagnosed. Approximately 70% of women treated for ovarian cancer will live for at least one year after diagnosis, and 35% will live for at least 10 years of being diagnosed.

Appointments check-ups will be arranged after the treatment of ovarian cancer, every two to three months and will generally include a physical examination, and may also do blood tests, X-rays, CT scans or ultrasound scans (ultrasound).