About Cancer

The body consists of many cells that grow and divide to produce more cells. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.

Sometimes a cell’s genetic material, DNA, becomes damaged or altered, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. Due to these mutations, cells do not die when they should, and new cells form when the body does not need them. Extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumour. Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues in the body.

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer has become the fifth most common cancer in women and is the most serious. Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries and fallopian tubes. However, without detection and treatment, it can spread to other pelvic and lower abdominal organs. If ovarian cancer is found in the early stages, it can be treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Ovarian tumours may be benign, meaning not cancerous, or malignant, meaning cancerous. Malignant tumours can spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.

Several tests to screen for ovarian cancer are currently in development. However, their accuracy needs improvement. More time, testing, and larger sample groups are required to confirm the effectiveness of the screenings. In September 2016, the US Federal Drug Agency announced that women should not use any currently marketed screening tests for ovarian cancer. The agency stated, “Despite extensive research and published studies, there are currently no screening tests for ovarian cancer that are sensitive enough to reliably screen for ovarian cancer without a high number of inaccurate results.”

The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer include the following:

• bloating
• pelvic or abdominal pain
• trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• urinary symptoms include urgency and frequency

Based on your symptoms and a physical exam, your doctor might order more tests such as these:

• a complete pelvic exam • a pelvic ultrasound
• a CA-125 blood test

These tests are most effective when used in combination. Doctors may also use a CT or PET (positron emission tomography) scan as part of the diagnostic process. A biopsy is the only definitive way to determine whether a patient has ovarian cancer.

This text is only informative and should not be used to diagnose anything.

Sources for this text include

The National Cancer Institute

Ovarian Cancer Canada and Cancer.org.

If you need more information, please consult your physician or any of the above mentioned institutions.