Posts Tagged ‘Ovarian’

Ovarian Cancer – You Need to Cure It

January 31st, 2010 admin

If your doctor tells you that you have a complex ovarian mass, this means you have a growth on your ovary that has both cystic (fluid filled) and solid components on ultrasound. In most cases, this is an uncomfortable, but harmless condition. Rarely, this mass is cancerous. Of women who are tested for ovarian cancer, less than 1 in 1000 actually has cancer.

Most cervical cases of cancer develop after a woman has been diagnosed with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Cervical and breast cancer is better detected during its early stages of development to avoid severe complications that especially arise if cancerous cells have already spread up to the heart or vagina’s surface. Too much delay before treatment allows the cancer cells to spread to the entire body. If they do, then nothing much can really be done to save a patient’s life because at this stage the cancer is said to be in the terminal phase.

Some woman do not have normal ovaries, instead they have developed polycystic ovaries which are ovaries where the follicles do not disintegrate after ovulation. Instead these follicles gather and form in clumps inside the ovaries. Generally speaking, polycystic ovaries are not bothersome and do not effect the chances of a woman becoming pregnant, however they can cause problems.

Most women that are interested in natural ovarian cures want them cured permanently, not just a quick fix. This is why surgery is not the best option for those that want long term relief. Surgery will not stop future cyst from coming back. Medications will not cure your cyst either. Your family doctor might prescribe birth control pills for women that have ovarian cysts, but this is not a good a good solution for the long term. These pills contain both female and male hormones, and these pills will stop an egg from being released.

Should a patient experience a fever or vomiting along with very severe pelvic pain…that is cause for alarm and should be considered an emergency! Another warning sign of problematic ovarian cysts is a rapid heartbeat, which is accompanied by dizziness, weakness or faintness. A woman’s doctor needs to be contacted without delay if any of the aforementioned symptoms are present. An additional concern for a woman is abnormal bleeding…or bleeding in between periods.

The main problem with traditional medicine is that it only treats what is going on right now with your body, not dealing with what can happen in the future. Another thing is that, many of the treatments and drugs that your doctor will give you can be almost as painful and damaging as the cysts themselves. Cyst Symptom will keep on happening until you can find a way to prevent them. The best thing that you can do is find a natural cure for your cyst symptom.

Even if your ovaries were removed, there is a chance that some ovarian tissue was left behind. If you had cysts before, especially large cysts, the cells from the ovaries may have migrated to the surrounding tissue, such as the small intestine. This remainder can still produce follicles, which can grow into cysts.

Posted in Cancer Tags: , , , No Comments »

What You Need to Know about Ovarian Cancer

January 27th, 2010 admin

Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth in the ovary. A cancerous growth means that there is mass of malignant substance growing in the affected area… The fallopian tube is considered to be the common area where ovarian cancer occurs. Next to breast cancer, ovarian cancer is the second leading cause of death among women due to gynecologic infections. 

The Silent Killer

In most medical journals and publications, ovarian cancer is known as the silent killer because the symptoms its causes are often inconclusive and may vary from case to case, which causes delay in prognosis wherein the disease is discovered only in the later stages. Despite the variation in symptoms, the following are the most common complaints of those who suffer from ovarian cancer:
 
 1). Abdominal pain
 2). Back pain
 3). Urinary urgency
 4). Constipation
 5). Tiredness
 6). Pelvic pain
 7)  Vaginal bleeding
 8). Weight loss
   
Despite the long list of the symptoms manifested by those who suffer from ovarian cancer, it does not totally contribute to an early and accurate detection of the disease because the abovementioned symptoms are also commonly encountered by women suffering from other less serious maladies… Women who suffer from ovarian cancer report that the symptoms they feel are persistent wherein the frequency and the number of symptoms represent a key factor in diagnosing the disease.
   
Causes of Ovarian Cancer
   
The cause of the disease is relatively unknown, and is still a question that is the center of researches and studies. What is known though is that the disease commonly develops in middle-aged women. The risk of developing the disease is greater when one has a relative in the first and second degrees with the disease. Women who have never been pregnant are also at risk in developing the disease. The use of contraceptives may diminish the risk of developing the disease along with tubal ligation. Ovarian cancer is classified as secondary cancer, resulting from metastasis from a primary cancer in the body. The primary cancer for women is breast cancer..
   
Stages of Ovarian Cancer
   
Ovarian cancer has four stages. The first stage describes the infection as starting with either of the two ovaries, later spreading to both ovaries. Stage two refers to pain in the pelvic area, indicating that the disease is spreading slowly.. Stage three involves microscopic peritoneal implants outside of the pelvis. The last stage involves metastases to the liver.
   
Treatment of Ovarian Cancer
   
The most preferred treatment for the disease is surgery.. Surgery is first done to obtain a muscle sample to determine the extent of the infection and the type of infection. Once the process is done, doctors can now decide what method of treatment to use. In treating the disease, chemotherapy is frequently used. Chemotherapy is usually administered after surgery to treat any possible remnant of the disease. Another common treatment is radiation therapy, although this is not recommended in the advanced stages of the disease because it involves exposing the body to high amounts of radiation that are harmful to other parts of the body.

Posted in Cancer Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Ovarian Cancer – Don't Ignore the Warning Signs

January 24th, 2010 admin

Around 1.5 percent of women are likely to develop ovarian cancer at some stage of their life. It is less common than breast cancer but is considered as the most serious and fatal of all gynecological cancers.

The reason for this is that the cancer is usually advanced before it is diagnosed, making treatment difficult. The ovaries cannot be easily examined and, because the warning signs are unclear, late diagnosis is common.

Because of the lack of screening tests available, it is imperative to know the early symptoms and the possible risk factors.

Understanding ovarian cancer

The ovaries are two small organs that are a part of the female reproductive system and they are situated each side of the uterus. These ovaries contain germ cells that become eggs which are released when the woman menstruates.

They also produce estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that adjust the menstrual cycle and have an effect on the growth of breasts and body hair as well as affecting the development of the female body shape.

What types of tumors are there?

This normally happens in an organised manner but occasionally they grow abnormally and form a growth that we know as a tumor.

This tumor may be benign or it may be malignant. If it is benign, it is not cancerous and does not spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor, on the other hand, is cancerous and will often spread, making mestastases or secondary cancers.

Ovarian cancer is malignant and can occur in either one or both of the ovaries. There are three main groups that are related to the cells where the cancer starts.

Epithelial ovarian cancer, as its name implies, grows in the epithelium which is the surface of the ovary. It is the most common and accounts for around 90 percent of ovarian cancer. It mainly affects post menopausal women.

Another kind of epithelial tumor is a borderline tumor which grows much more slowly than its regular counterpart. These can normally be removed successfully even if diagnosed at an advanced stage.

There is a very rare form of ovarian cancer called germ cell ovarian cancer that starts in the cells that develop into eggs. This only accounts for about 5 percent of ovarian cancers and usually occurs only in women under 30.

The other five percent of ovarian cancers are generally sex-chord stromal cell ovarian cancer that affects the ovary cells responsible for female hormones. It can affect women of all ages.

Who is at risk of getting ovarian cancer?

The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown but there are some risk factors that have been identified through research. Although having these risk factors may increase your chances of developing ovarian cancer, they do not mean that you will necessarily get the disease. However, knowledge of these risk factors can be helpful. If you are concerned by having any of these risk factors, it is important to talk to your healthcare professional.

Factors that may increase your risk of ovarian cancer include:

Age- Around 90 percent of ovarian cancers affect women over 40.

Cultural background – Caucasian women in western society have higher rates of ovarian cancer than African or Asian women.

Number of pregnancies – Women who have never been pregnant appear to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

Family history – Between 5 and 10% of ovarian cancers are genetic. Researchers believe that the genes responsible for breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are involved in almost all cases of familial ovarian cancer as well as familial breast cancer. It is also thought that these same damaged genes may be responsible for some endometrial and colon cancers. If you are genetically predisposed to any ovarian, breast, endometrial or colon cancers, you may have an increased risk of getting ovarian cancer.

Infertility and taking fertility drugs – Women who have had fertility drugs may be at a higher risk although infertility itself is a risk factor so this cannot be taken as a clear indication.

Hormone Replacement Therapy – The use of estrogen only HRT which is usually when you have had a hysterectomy, has been identified as a possible risk factor for ovarian cancer, particularly if you have been on this therapy for over ten years.

Lifestyle factors – Obesity is a risk factor associated with ovarian cancer as is a diet that is high in fat.

Can I reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?

Currently, there are no known procedures to prevent or detect early ovarian cancer but there are ways to reduce the risks. Some of these are:

Oral contraceptives – Research has found that the use of oral contraceptives can cut the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 60 percent if taken for a period of five years during your life.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding – Breastfeeding delays ovulation after childbirth and therefore decreases your risk of ovarian cancer. However, there is no guarantee that breastfeeding will stop you from developing ovarian cancer.

Enjoy a low fat diet – A high fat diet has been identified as a risk factor in ovarian cancer. Therefore, it makes sense to stick to a low fat diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Tubal ligation or hysterectomy – These operations are only performed with a valid medical reason but it is believed that they both reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

People with a strong family history of ovarian cancer may opt to speak to a genetic counselor that can assess whether you are at risk of developing the disease. If your family history suggests the damaged genes associated with ovarian, breast, endometrial, or colon cancer, it may be wise to have genetic testing. If these tests show the damaged BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, you may be refe.rred to a gynecological oncologist to consider ways to reduce your risk.

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer

Because there is no screening test available for ovarian cancer, it is recommended that you have a regular pelvic vaginal checkup to see if there are any changes in your ovaries. It is also vital that you consult your healthcare specialist if you notice any possible signs of this illness. Because the symptoms are often common to many other medical conditions, diagnosis of ovarian cancer can be difficult

However, if you have any of the following symptoms that are unusual for you and that persist for more than a week, see your doctor without delay.

Some symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

Stomach discomfort of pain in the pelvic area

Persistent nausea or wind.

Feeling constantly bloated or ‘full’.

Unexplained weight gain.

Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

Bowel changes

Frequency or urgency in urination

Lethargy.

Pain during intercourse.

Unexplained vaginal bleeding.

Sometimes, ovarian cancers are wrongly diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or menopause so if you are concerned, ask to be referred to a gynecological oncologist who can order tests to rule out ovarian cancer. It is rare that these symptoms will be ovarian cancer but if it is, early detection gives an excellent chance of survival.

Diagnosing ovarian cancer

If your doctor suspects ovarian cancer, you will be referred to a gynecological oncologist who will organize tests which may include any or all of the following:

An internal pelvic examination.

Blood tests

Chest and stomach x-rays.

A barium enema to rule out bowel problems

Ultrasound scans

If the results show a likelihood of ovarian cancer, you will be recommended to have an operation to confirm the diagnosis (none of the abovementioned tests can be sure). During the operation, if the surgeon finds ovarian cancer, they will normally remove the cancer as well as the ovaries.

It is important to understand before the surgery that this may happen so learn all you can about your illness and the outcomes before the operation.

Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com and http://www.betterhealthshoppe.com which are both information portals with many interesting medical articles. She is also an associate of http://www.timzbiz.com which features many articles on internet marketing and resources.

Posted in Cancer Tags: , , , , , No Comments »