Genetic Health Pertaining to Ovarian Cancer

Out of the vast number and types of ailments and diseases assailing our society today, cancer seems to be the most formidable-perhaps because of the mystery that yet surrounds this dreadful disease. Of the many cancers, ovarian cancer ranks high in the top 5 as the cause of all cancer deaths in women in the US and produces the highest death rate of women's reproductive cancers. One of the reasons this cancer is so deadly lies in the fact that it is extremely difficult to detect in its early stages. More often than not, once the disease has been positively diagnosed, severe damage has already taken place in the body. Woman are encouraged to take a more active role in the prevention of this disease by becoming more aware of their genetic health as it pertains to ovarian cancer.



Symptoms and Diagnosis of the Disease



Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries where normal ovarian cells begin to multiply in an uncontrolled, abnormal manner, producing tumors in one or both ovaries. The only way to positively diagnose this cancer is by microscopically examining questionable fluids and tissues of the ovaries. Sometimes ovarian cancer cells can be detected by examination of the cervix. Genetic health/ovarian cancer tests are not difficult to administer. The difficult part is detecting the disease at an early stage.



There are no unique symptoms of ovarian cancer. Thus, when general symptoms are present, they are often confused with other diseases. General symptoms may include pelvic pain or discomfort, back pain, nausea and indigestion, excess weight gain or loss, fatigue, vaginal bleeding, and pain during sexual intercourse. Doctors can usually diagnose ovarian cancer within three months of noticing these symptoms, but sometimes it may take six months or longer before a diagnosis can be made. By this time, the cancer has spread outside of the ovaries affecting other organs of the abdomen. In this advanced state, a woman has about a 20 percent chance of living beyond the next five years.



Treatment and Prevention



A woman with a significant family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer has a higher risk of developing the disease. Age, obesity, and poor diet are also contributing factors. Ovarian cancer generally occurs in woman who are menopausal, but woman who have started their menstrual cycles earlier than the norm are also at risk. Women who use fertility drugs are at a higher risk than others.



Genetic health-ovarian cancer can be a difficult subject to approach as there is little that can be done to treat the disease once it has been positively diagnosed. Therefore, it is pertinent that women do all they can to stay aware of what is happening in their bodies. If the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage (while it is yet in the ovaries) there is an excellent chance that it can be treated successfully. Some doctors have recommended chemotherapy as a preventive measure and even surgery for those that are high risk. Preventive surgery, however, does not completely eliminate the risk. If a woman is aware that her family history places her in the high-risk category, she should seek to gain more information and, perhaps, even genetic counseling to improve her chances of deterring the disease. A greater awareness of genetic health ovarian cancer issues can help a woman better order her life.