Anyone who has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer should take the necessary time to learn about the different ovarian cancer stages and what each level of the classification system represents. Ovarian cancer can be very dangerous and women should be vigilant about monitoring their symptoms in order to detect the affliction in the earliest possible stages. Although the cause of the condition is not known, there are certain factors that can increase the likelihood of developing this form of cancer. A woman who has a family history of ovarian cancer should be especially vigilant as a direct gene has been determined to elevate the possible risk. Mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are at a higher risk and stages of ovarian cancer can advance without notice in women with these mutations.

The staging of ovarian cancer is determined by the FIGO system. Typically, an exploratory surgery will be done in women who have been diagnosed with the condition. After this surgery has been completed, a physician will be able to accurately label the specific stage of the cancer. All of the stages are subdivided for more accurate classification. Stage 1 can either be present in only one ovary or in both ovaries. Stage 1A is when the cancer is only in one ovary and the capsule is still intact. There is no actual tumor on the surface of the ovary or malignant cells to be found in the peritoneal washings or ascites. The second level, stage 1B is the same as 1A but is present in both ovaries. Stage 1C is when the capsule has broken, a tumor has been developed on the surface of the ovary, or there are positive washings.

When the cancer has spread to the pelvic area or has implants, it is then labeled as being in stage 2. If this spread is present on the fallopian tubes or uterus, then it is classified as 2A, whereas tumors that spread to other pelvic areas are called by the name of stage2B. Both stages 2A and 2B have negative peritoneal washings, but stage 2C will have positive washings. Stage 2C can occur to different parts of the pelvis, uterus, or fallopian tubes.

Stage 3 ovarian cancer occurs when the cancer has moved to the small intestine, omentum, or other areas that are outside the pelvic region. The subdivision of stage 3 cancer of the ovaries involve the size of the tumor as well as its location. In stage 2A, the tumor has simply metastasized past the pelvis area. Stage 2B is the label that is used when the spread is less than two centimeters. If the size is greater than two centimeters, it has reached the 3C stage. Stage 4 is the last and most damaging level of classification. When the cancer has reached this stage, it means that the tumorous cells have gone outside of the peritoneal cavity and may have reached the liver of the patient. Depending on which of the specific ovarian cancer stages has been reached, a local cancer specialist will be needed to recommend the most effective possible treatment options.

After a accurate diagnosis has been obtained, a patient and their local physician will need to discuss the possible ovarian cancer treatments that are available to the person. There are several factors that may influence which specific treatment for ovarian cancer is chosen. The stage of the condition will also play a role in choosing the best treatment method as well as the patient’s personal preferences. In cases that have already reached the latter stages, treatment may be more aimed at providing relief from the symptoms as the prognosis is not good. On the other hand, cases that are detected in the early stages have a good survival rate when the condition is treated before the cancer has spread to other abdominal areas.

The primary treatment for ovarian cancer is removal of the tumor through a surgical operation. This is effective in cases where the cancer has not spread and is located only on or in the ovary. Borderline tumors can also be treated with this type of surgery even when they have moved outside the ovaries. In most cases, some radiation therapy will be needed after the surgery to make sure all of the cancerous cells have been destroyed. Chemotherapy is the most common form of radiation therapy that is used, but other variations may be used as well. Chemotherapy may also be used prior to the surgery to reduce the number of cancerous cells that will need to be removed. The operation should be completed by a gynecologic oncology expert for the best possible results. These specialists have a higher survival rate that those obtained with general surgeons and gynecologists.

Depending on the specific stage and grade of the patient’s condition, the surgical procedure can be more complicated. In the basic operation, only the affected ovary and fallopian tube will typically be removed. However, in cases where the tumors have spread, it may be necessary to remove both ovaries, both of the fallopian tubes, and the uterus. In advanced stages of ovarian cancer, it may not be possible to remove all of the cancer. In these cases, a process known as debulking will occur. The surgeon will remove as much of the cancerous cells as possible and then aggressive radiation therapy will be used to treat the remaining cells.

An alternative ovarian cancer treatment option for cases that are already in the later stages is intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This process is still in the clinical trial phase, but early results suggest that the average survival time may be increased by using this method. However, this form of chemotherapy can have many significant side effects and less than half of the patients in the clinical trial were able to complete the full treatment. It is thought that future chemotherapy medications will provide an better alternative ovarian cancer treatment and reduce these negative side effects. Radiation therapy is commonly avoided in patients that are in very advanced stages as the vital organs may not be able to withstand the problems associated with these ovarian cancer treatments.

Ovarian cancer testing is essential for any woman that has a family history of the condition. Two specific genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, account for a significant portion of the number of cases of ovarian cancer and some mutations of the genes are passed to children through genetic material. Women with these mutated genes are thought to be somewhere between 25% and 60% at risk of developing the condition. A woman with family members that have had other types of cancer should also be tested at regular intervals. Abnormal hormone levels may be another reason for a person to have a test for ovarian cancer done. The biggest reason why a woman should have ovarian cancer tests is the presence of certain symptoms. The common symptoms of ovarian cancer are as follows: bloating, back pain, difficulty eating, irregular bleeding of the vagina, leg pain, feeling full soon after eating, urinary problems, abdominal pain, indigestion, gas, trouble breathing, constipation, pelvic pain, nausea, or painful sexual intercourse. However, many early stage cases of ovarian cancer go undetected because there are no manifested symptoms. If any of these symptoms has been experienced on a daily basis for a persistent amount of time, a local doctor should be consulted for a test for ovarian cancer.

There are no absolute ovarian cancer tests that perfectly assess the presence of tumors in or on the ovaries. However, there are certain examinations that can lead to a probability of the condition. The local doctor will most likely begin with tests of the blood and serum electrolytes and then move to a surgical exploration if results from these tests indicate a likelihood of ovarian cancer. For younger women, there are certain serums that will need to be tested as they can indicate a malignant germ cell tumor. These serums are the human chorionic gonadotrpin (BHCG), the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP0), and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) electrolytes. The CA-125 blood test is also frequently used, but there is some controversy over its use. Many experts claim that the test has low sensitivity and is unable to detect the early stages of ovarian cancer, thus making it somewhat useless in early detection of cases. Any assessment for ovarian cancer will also need to include a physical examination of the pelvis to look for foreign masses on the ovaries or in the abdominal region.

While ovarian cancer testing is lacking in present times, there is quite a bit of research that is being done in this area. A newer method of providing accurate early detection utilizes tumor markers proteomics. These proteomics are combined with radiological and symptomatic indicators of the condition to provide more accurate results. However, there is a problem with this approach. The low number of actual cases of ovarian cancer means that very high testing will most likely have a large number of false positives, leading to unnecessary exploratory surgery. Doctors now are beginning to use trans-vaginal ultrasounds to find excessive ascites levels. Ovarian cancer testing is going through many radical changes and these improvements should lead to more women detecting the condition in the more treatable early stages.

With a low ovarian cancer survival rate, it is very important that any woman that is at a higher risk should undergo regular screenings to detect the presence of tumors in the ovaries. As the condition often has no outward symptoms, it is often overlooked for too long. This factor is commonly due to the nature of the cancer. Tumors in the ovaries will consistently release cells into the fluid that is found in the area. In this manner, the tumors can spread to the bladder, bowels, or uterus before a person even thinks that they may have cancer. There is no definite cause of ovarian cancer, but it is thought that genetic information and hormone levels play a large part in the development of the condition. Women that have a family history of ovarian cancer are much more likely to have the problem. Also, women that take birth control pills tend to develop the condition much less. It is thought that the extra hormones in these pills help to prevent the cancer.

Unfortunately, the survival rates are quite different between early and late detection. While ovarian cancer survival stories are quite numerous in cases where it was detected early, the number of late detection survival stories is quite less. In general, the survival rates for all combined cases of ovarian cancer is 45.5%. However, this statistic can be misleading. In cases where the cancer is still in the primary location, prognosis is very good, with a survival rate of 92.7%. The other side of the coin is that a much lower percentage of women are able to survive once the cancer has spread. Another factor that determines the exact survival rate is the type of tumor that is present. The majority of ovarian cancer cases are classified as epithelial ovarian cancer. However, germ cell tumors account for 5% of cancers and nearly 30% of the actual tumors. The gram cell tumors grow at a much more rapid pace, leading to earlier detection and treatment.

To increase the number of ovarian cancer survival stories, women that fall into higher risk groups will need to speak about the issue with a local physician and have certain tests performed. The first tests that will need to be performed are a general blood test and a test to ascertain levels of specific serum electrolytes. Specifically, there are a number of serums (BHCG, AFP, and LDH) that should be tested in younger women. There are few tests that positively identify the presence of an ovarian tumor, but one test that is used with a high frequency is the CA-125 blood test. It is one of the only tests that has been proven to accurately detect the early stages of ovarian cancer. While many tests do not currently exist, there is a great deal of research being done to find more effective testing methods. Most research is being done in the area of using a combination of disease indicators and tumor markers proteomics. It is thought that as detection methods are advanced, the ovarian cancer survival rate will increase proportionally.

Ovarian cancer support groups can be a great way for women sufferers to learn more about their condition and avoid the feelings of loneliness that can be present. Cancer of the ovaries can be a very difficult situation as those cases that are past the early stages can have a poor prognosis. Early detection is oftentimes not easy as many cases are not manifested with visible or physical symptoms. As such, it is important for the patient to remain positive and deal with the condition in the best manner possible. To this end, many organizations have been created to help support cancer patients in their time and need. Every major city will have a support group for local residents. These are usually open to anyone with ovarian cancer, whether they are local or visitors to the region. In regular meetings, these groups will talk about the various needs and concerns specific to women with ovarian cancer. In addition to the medical aspects, the meetings will also focus on the mental and emotional state of the patients.

One of the more famous organizations that has been set up to support cancer patients with ovarian tumors is the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Since May of 2001, the alliance has worked to provide a strong support network to sufferers as well as increase public awareness of ovarian cancer. They utilize three areas of focus: education, support, and advocacy. Within the education arm of the program, both individual women and medical professionals are taught how better to recognize the early signs of the condition in order to increase early detection and more successful treatment. The support branch works directly with patients who have ovarian cancer. This includes working with the patient’s family to create a network of contacts and support. The advocacy part of the organization works to garner additional funds to support both the local program and national projects. The Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance is only one of the many regional groups that are working hard to improve life for ovarian cancer patients.

With the increased popularity of the internet, a patient can now find many support groups for ovarian cancer online. These websites allow sufferers to make new connections and draw from the collective experience of a large number of patients rather than those only located in a specific geographical region. As these online support groups are always open, a patient can easily and quickly find essential information at all hours of the day or night. In addition, users can post questions that will often receive a very timely response. Perhaps the most famous of these groups is Ovacome. Although it is based in the United Kingdom, Ovacome is open to ovarian cancer patients from all countries. In addition to information, the online support group also provides up-to-date links to many physical resources available to patients. The experience of cancer can be very trying, but utilizing ovarian cancer support groups can help a patient be knowledgeable and positive about the condition.

As there are no specific ovarian cancer symptoms, the first warning signs were classified using an index system. The index was comprised of the following symptoms: pelvic pain, fullness, abdominal size increases, abdominal pain, bloating, and difficulty eating food. The index also involved the frequency of these symptoms. If a woman experienced twelve or more instances in the course of a month and the duration of the symptoms was less than a year, then ovarian cancer was considered as a possible cause of the complications. With a 57% rate of sensitivity, the index was somewhat successful, but other, more accurate methods of detection were needed. The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation answered this call by conducting a study in 2007 to definitively address the symptoms of ovarian cancer. While the previously mentioned symptoms were included in the possible ovarian cancer signs, the foundation also included the following symptoms to the list: pain during sexual intercourse, leg pain, pain in the back, urinary issues, diarrhea, chronic indigestion, constipation, breathing troubles, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Any woman that experiences these relatively common symptoms in a severe or persistent manner should alert their local doctor to schedule a screening for ovarian cancer.

A local physician will address the concerns by having a series of tests done to determine if ovarian cancer is a cause of the symptoms. In addition to general blood tests, the physician will most likely also test specific serum electrolyte levels to detect any possible aberrations. There is still no definitive test to identify cancer of the ovaries, but much research is being done to find more effective detection methods. Most new research addresses the possibility of using the typical disease indicators in conjunction with certain tumor markers proteomics to increase accurate detection and earlier treatment. Ovarian cancer signs and symptoms can be difficult to detect, but early detection is the key to increased survival of the condition.

Ovarian cancer causes can be varied, but most cases have the same manifestation. The majority of ovarian cancer cases involve surface epithelial-stromal tumors, meaning that tumors have formed in a line pattern on the ovaries. It was formerly believed that these cancerous growths only began in the outermost layer of the ovary, but recent studies have found that the cancer can start in the Fallopian tubes and spread to the ovaries. Risk of contracting ovarian cancer is relatively low at 1.6%, but this figure increases to 5% if the woman has had family history of the condition. Prognosis from this specific type of cancer is poor because of the lack of early detection. However, those cases that are found early typically have a good prognosis, with survival rates over 92%. On the other hand, the survival rate for all cases that are not found early is a paltry 45.5%. The exact causes of ovarian cancer are not completely understood, but most experts link the condition to a number of factors.

Hormone levels are thought to be one of the most common causes of ovarian cancer. Frequently, the lack of specific hormones is the reason behind development of ovarian cancer. In women who take oral birth control pills, there are 60% less cases than those who do not take the pills. It is believed that the hormones in these pills help to protect women. In circles of ovarian cancer experts, the relationship of fertility drugs to ovarian cancer is hotly debated. A study in the year 1991 found a link, but later studies have been performed that show no link at all.

Another of the possible causes of cancer of the ovaries is hereditary information. Unlike the hormone theory, there is strong evidence due to the number of women who develop ovarian cancer that have had previous histories of the condition in their families. Those women that have family members that have had ovarian cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, or other forms of gastrointestinal cancers are at a decidedly higher risk of developing the condition.

Alcohol may also play a part in ovarian cancer cases. Slight consumption of alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of the condition. However, this amount of alcohol intake also raises the risk of developing other types of cancer as well. In this manner, alcohol may not be responsible for ovarian cancer individually, but rather is a factor for developing cancer in general. In addition to alcohol, there are other dietary substances that may increase the risk. A large-scale study in Sweden was able to show a valid connection between the condition and the levels of milk consumption. In this study, which was comprised of over 61,000 women, it was found that women who drink two glasses of milk or more each day have twice as high a risk factor as those who limit milk intake. Ovarian cancer causes may be debated, but the important factor in dealing with the condition is early detection and subsequent treatment.

The first true symptoms of ovarian cancer index was created to help women identify this problem. The index included the following six symptoms: abdominal pain, pelvic pain, bloating, a feeling of fullness, trouble with eating, and an increase in the size of the abdomen. These symptoms that lasted less than a year, but had at least twelve instances per month were considered to be possible cases. This index had a reported 57% sensitivity rate. In the year 2007, a study was done by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation to accurately pinpoint which symptoms of ovarian cancer may be accurate indicators. In addition to the previously mentioned early ovarian cancer symptoms, the organization added the following reactions to a list of symptoms that occur with higher regularity in women that have ovarian cancer: back pain, pain in the legs, diarrhea, urinary problems, pain during intercourse, irregular vaginal bleeding, difficulty breathing, constipation, or excessive indigestion. With these symptoms, the key to early detection is the frequency and number. While random bouts of these symptoms may be inconclusive, a woman that has persistent occurrences of the symptoms should be tested to determine whether ovarian cancer is the source.

A woman that experiences the ovarian cancer symptoms should make an appointment with a local physician to discuss the issues. The doctor will likely perform a number of test to determine the presence of tumors. The first tests will be general blood tests and those that examine the level of serum electrolytes. The specific BHCG, AFP, and LDH serums will need to be tested for younger women because they can indicate a malignant germ cell. Another blood test that can be used by the physician is known as a CA-125 examination. Although the effectiveness of this test is under debate, there are no superior tests currently available. However, research is being done to find more effective ways to accurately identify this form of cancer to aid in better early detection. A woman who chronically exhibits any of the ovarian cancer symptoms and signs should speak with a local physician to avoid problems with the condition.

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