The Complications of Ovarian Cancer

The ovaries are truly one of nature's most beautiful and mind-boggling developments. They produce the ovum that eventually results in the miracle of human life. But, as with any part of the body that is complicated and involves multiple processes (and really, which parts don't?), the ovaries are vulnerable to cancerous growths.



Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer in women, claiming around 15,000 lives every year. It develops primarily on the outer wall of the ovaries, known as the epithelium, but can appear in other regions as well. There is no definite cause of the disease, but there are certain identifiable risk factors.



Women who develop ovarian cancer usually share certain characteristics. The most well-documented of these has to do with pregnancy. Women who have their first pregnancy relatively earlier, and who become pregnant more often, and who have their last pregnancy at a later date, are all more likely to live a cancer-free life than women on the other end of this spectrum. It is unknown precisely by what mechanism this takes place. Some birth control pills have also been shown to prevent the cancer, if they are taken on a regular, long-term basis.



As with almost all forms of cancer, it is more likely to appear in people who have a family history of either ovarian cancer, or other forms of non-skin or blood cancers, for example colorectal cancer. Along with this difficulty in predicting who will suffer from the disease is the fact that its symptoms are generalized and relatively vague. Conditions that resemble gastrointestinal difficulties-indigestion, bloating, constipation, diarrhea-may be common across ovarian cancer victims. There are other symptoms, many of which could very well be mistaken for normal conditions of female physiology.



Due to the difficulty with diagnosing this disease in the earlier stages, it is often referred to as the silent killer. A term that references the fact that the disease, before it is detected, is likely to progress to the point where treatment is not very effective. It is not hopeless, however. There are some proven ways to prevent onset of ovarian cancer even though we don't know its exact cause. Having children earlier in life is one tactic, though this is exactly the opposite trend that we see amongst educated women today.



Another tactic is to have one's tubes tied. This procedure, known as a tubal ligation, dramatically reduces the chances of getting breast cancer, and it may be an especially good choice for women who have a family history of cancer. Less dramatic methods include daily consumption of birth control pills, or even aspirin (which has been shown to help, but the exact level of benefit is undetermined).



All in all we need to do more as a society to fight this silent killer. With many women waiting to have their children until their later years, it seems that it is even more important now than before to investigate the disease thoroughly.

Understanding Different Types of Ovarian Cancer

Cancer in any part of the body is caused by tumorous cells spreading and multiplying throughout the body. These cells can be divided into different types and forms which determine the type of cancer one has and its treatment. Ovarian cancer is basically caused by three different kinds of tumors, giving rise to three different types of ovarian cancer. These are known as epithelial tumors, Germ Cell tumors and Stromal tumors. All three of them affect different parts of the ovary and vary in their rates of occurrence. All three of these however, can have effects such as producing masculine features and hirsutism in the patient because of production of male sex hormones.



Epithelial Tumors are formed from the surrounding tissue of the ovary. These are the most common kind of tumors that is seen among women, affecting close to 80% of all ovarian cancer patients. It is what is usually known as ovarian cancer as such. These can be both benign and malignant in nature. These can also be invasive carcinogenic in nature, which means the cancerous cells would actively spread to other parts of the body if given a chance. The treatment for invasive tumors requires the removal of both kidneys; however this can be replaced with conventional therapy at the risk of a lowered chance of full recovery and remission. Epithelial tumors can be usually treated with the help of simple surgery and follow up with chemotherapy, depending on the stage of cancer. This is found more in adult women than in teenagers and young adults.



The next type, the Germ Cell tumors are formed in the egg producing cells of the ovary. These are not as common as the first type, accounting for close to 10-15% of all ovarian cancer patients. These are also divided into benign and malignant tumors, however no intermediate or invasive form exists for this. The benign form of germ cell tumors is easily treated with simple surgery and removal of the cancerous tissue. No further treatment is deemed necessary. The malignant tumors require a more intensive form of chemotherapy and multiple medicines to keep the tumor in check and then eliminate it wholly. The treatment for this differs greatly from that of the epithelial tumors. Most cases occur with women under the age of 30.



The least common type of ovarian cancer is the Stromal tumors. They account for only 5-10% of the ovarian cancer patients. It occurs in the stromal part of the ovary, which controls the production of different kinds of sex hormones in the body. The occurrence of this kind of tumor is often marked by the production of sex steroid hormones and over production of testosterone, which leads to the masculinization of the female body and other symptoms such as balding of the hair, deepening of the voice, growth of hair over the body and an enlarged clitoris. This may also result in abnormal vaginal bleeding for post menopausal women and others. Another side effect is the early on set of puberty in young teens. The average age of women who get this is close to 25 years and usually can be treated with a degree of ease.