Ovarian Cancer symptoms And Causes

Ovarian cancer symptoms and causes - The symptoms of ovarian cancer only occur when the cancer is already relatively advanced. This also means that ovarian cancer is often only found late.

If the disease spreads, the following symptoms may occur:

• vague abdominal pain;
• a bloated feeling;
• nausea;
• constipation;
• must urinate abnormally frequently;
• an increase in the volume of the belly (you often notice this when the clothing starts to stretch);
• you can also suffer from unexplained fatigue and weight loss.

All these symptoms can be associated with other disorders. If the symptoms last 3 to 4 weeks, a medical examination is necessary.

Ovarian cancer causes

There is no clear cause for the development of ovarian cancer. Figures show that ovarian cancer is more common in women without children and in women with few children. Because of a large number of pregnancies, the chance of ovarian cancer seems to be getting smaller. The use of the pill also reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. The prevention of ovulation, therefore, seems to have a protective effect.

Heredity

In about 5 to 10 percent of people, heredity is the cause of ovarian cancer. There are several diseases known that (may) cause a hereditary form of ovarian cancer. The most common are:

hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (breast cancer also occurs in the family)
the Lynch syndrome (formerly HNPCC) (in the family also occurs colon cancer)
Every patient with proven ovarian cancer is eligible for genetic research. Your doctor will refer you to the clinical geneticist for a hereditary examination.



Ovarian cancer tests and diagnosis

A number of studies can show if you have ovarian cancer. The physician often carries out a combination of these studies. Examples of this are:

Vaginal research
The gynecologist brings a speculum (a spreader or 'duckbill') into the vagina. That way he can see the vagina and cervix. Then the gynecologist feels with one or two fingers in the vagina and puts the other hand on your stomach. In this way, the doctor gets an impression of the location and the size of the organs at the bottom of the abdomen, including the ovaries.

Blood test
In a blood test, the physician looks at the amount of CA125 in the blood. Ovarian cancer cells can make this substance and release it into the blood. In about 80% of women with ovarian cancer, the CA125 is increased.

Vaginal ultrasound
With sound waves, physician accurately maps the ovaries, the cervix, and the uterus. The doctor can then see if there are deviations.

Additional investigations
The physician can carry out follow-up studies to determine at what stage the ovarian cancer is. The stage indicates how far the tumor has progressed. And whether there are metastases. The physician can perform the following studies:

• X-rays of the heart and lungs.
• A CT scan to get a precise picture of organs and tissues.
• An Ascite puncture. In women with ovarian cancer, there is often a lot of fluid (ascites) in the abdomen. The physician can take this fluid out of the abdomen with a needle and examine it for the presence of cancer cells.

*Image source : NY Daily News

References :

1. National Cancer Institute
2. UMC Utrecht
3. Kanker.be