Cancer is when cells in your body grow out of control and start to form tumors, or masses. Cancers can grow anywhere in the body, but some types of cancer grow more quickly and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Ovarian cancer is when cancerous cells grow in the ovaries, which are organs that produce eggs in females. It is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States.
Many people with ovarian cancer have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When they do occur, they include pain or pressure in the lower abdomen and vaginal bleeding. Symptoms tend to get worse over time.
A doctor will do a pelvic exam and order imaging tests such as a transvaginal ultrasound and CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen. A blood test can also be done to measure levels of the protein CA-125, which is often elevated in ovarian cancer patients. However, noncancerous conditions such as uterine fibroids and menstrual periods can also raise levels of this protein. A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
If a person has symptoms of ovarian cancer, it is important to see a doctor right away. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the better the chance of treatment that will work.
There are several different types of ovarian cancer. The most common are epithelial ovarian cancers. These can be classified into different subtypes, including serous, mucinous and clear cell carcinoma. Germ cell tumors are less common and tend to affect younger women. Some ovarian cancers are caused by gene changes that can be passed down from parents, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2.
The outlook for ovarian cancer depends on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. The stage of the cancer describes how far it has grown and whether or not it has spread to other parts of the body. This is determined by a combination of factors, including the type and stage of the cancer and the person’s age and overall health.
Early diagnosis is very important, as the survival rate for ovarian cancer drops significantly with progression to later stages. The good news is that the survival rate for ovarian cancer has been improving over the past 20 years, partly because it is often not diagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced stage.
The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is around 6.3 percent. This is higher than for other types of cancer and for all ages, but it still falls short of what people would expect from medical advances. These improvements are made possible by finding more effective ways to detect the disease in its earlier stages, and by developing new treatments. These include targeted therapy that uses drugs to kill cancerous cells while limiting damage to healthy tissue, and radiation therapy that uses energy particles or X-rays to destroy the cancer cells. Women who are at a high risk of ovarian cancer should discuss their symptoms with their doctor and consider joining a clinical trial that can provide access to the latest treatment options.
