WHEN OVARIAN CANCER IS MORE THAN ONE DISEASE

Ovarian cancer is the ninth most common cancer in women and the fifth leading cause of female cancer death. Different from what everyone knows, ovarian cancer isn’t a single disease, but rather a number of different malignancies involving the ovaries, according to an expert U.S panel.

Although the detection of ovarian cancer while in its early stages improves prognosis, most cases of this cancer are discovered when the cancer is already advanced. Much has been done to understand about the basic biology of various types of ovarian cancers, such as where they originate in the body.

Evidence suggests that the ovarian cancers begin in other tissues such as the fallopian tube and later spreads to the ovaries. However, there are surprising gaps in knowledge about ovarian cancer that everybody should know.
A report by the U.S National Academies of sciences, Engineering and Medicine says, the cancer may also rise from cells not considered to be part of the ovaries.

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Ovarian cancers are potentially life threatening malignancies that develop in one or both ovaries. The malignant ovarian tumors fall into three categories:

·         Epithelial tumor

·         Germ cell tumor

·         Stromal tumor

Epithelial tumor develops in a layer of cube-shaped cells which surrounds the outside of the ovaries and accounts for 90% of all ovarian cancers.

Germ cell tumor which accounts for 3% of all ovarian cancer are found in the egg-maturation cells of ovary. It often occurs to teenagers and young women.it is very responsive to treatment and about 90% of its patients can be cured.

Stromal tumor amount about 6% of all ovarian cancers develops from connective tissues cells that hold the ovaries together and produce the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. The stromal tumor do not usually spread in which case the prognosis is good. However if they spread they can be difficult to treat.

Ovarian cancers spread almost silently and rapidly usually with vague symptoms. By the time the serious symptoms do appear, the ovarian tumor may have grown large enough to shed cancer cells throughout the abdomen.

Certain factors increase the risk of ovarian cancers while other factors reduce risk. Many of the preventive factors are related to the number of times a woman ovulates during her lifetime, which is indicated by the number of menstrual periods and ovulation appear to be associated with reduced risk of ovarian cancers. Ovarian cancer is real and every woman should be aware and alert. Encourage each other to go for screening and be on the notice.