Ovarian cancer treatment in India is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in 70 women in the United States.

About 14,000 deaths occur each year, making ovarian cancer the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women.

While the death rates have declined by approximately 50% during the last 30 years, it is still one of the deadliest cancers for women in the U.S. The prognosis for ovarian cancer is much worse in the developing world, where an estimated 75,000 women are diagnosed annually.

In India, only 40% of those patients are diagnosed at stages I and II (the most treatable stage of ovarian cancer). In addition, early symptoms are often missed due to a lack of awareness and delay in seeking medical attention.

What is Ovarian Cancer?

Cancerous growths that develop in many different parts of the ovaries are known as ovarian cancer. Ovaries are basically a pair of female reproductive glands that help in the formation of eggs or ova. Many ovarian cancers arise from the epithelium (outer layer) of the ovary. Most of these cancers are either malignant germ cell tumors or ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

Types of Ovarian Tumors

There are many tumors that can start in the ovaries. These tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). These tumors can be classified into three types

Stromal tumors: These tumors start from cells that are also responsible for holding the ovaries together and making female hormones.Germ Cell Tumors: These tumors start from the cells that are responsible for egg production.
Epithelial tumors: These tumors start from the cells that cover the outer surface of the ovary. Most ovarian tumors are epithelial tumors.

Causes of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is considered one of the most common cancers in women. Some of the major reasons for this include –

Use of hormone replacement therapy for more than five years, especially when only estrogen is used
inherited gene mutation
women 50 years of age or older
obesity
Family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer
never got pregnant
have had cancer in the past, such as in the colon, breast, or uterus

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer

• Changes in bowel habits such as constipation
• pelvic pain
• heartburn or indigestion
• lower body pain
• pain during intercourse
• back pain
• urgent and frequent urination
• lower abdominal pain
• feeling full while eating

Ovarian cancer progression can result in the following symptoms, including

• loss of appetite
• Nausea
• breathlessness
• weight loss
• fatigue

Stages of Ovarian Cancer

Stage 1: In the first stage, the cancerous growth is confined to the ovary or ovaries.

Stage 1A: Here cancer develops in only one ovary and the tumor is within the ovary. Furthermore, no ascites are present that contain malignant cells. Here the capsule is also intact.

Stage 1B: Cancerous growth is confined to the ovaries only and no tumors are present on the outer surfaces of these ovaries. Furthermore, no ascites are present that contain malignant cells. Here too the capsule remains intact.

Stage 1a: Malignancy present in the tissue or tumor present on the surface of one or both ovaries.  This stage of cancer is usually accompanied by ascites. This stage of cancer is also known as stage Ia cancer.

Stage 1b: Malignancy present in the tissue or tumor on the surface of one or both ovaries. Ascites cannot be demonstrated at this time. This stage of cancer is usually accompanied by ascites. This stage of cancer is also known as stage Ib cancer.

Stage 2: Metastasis

Stage 2: If metastatic disease is present in the lymph nodes or in the contralateral ovary (if the tumor has originated in the contralateral ovary), this is considered a metastasis. This stage of cancer is usually accompanied by ascites.

Stage 2: It might also include cysts in the ovary or abdomen.

Stage 2A: Cancer has spread to other parts of the pelvis. The five-year survival rate is between 8 percent and 13 percent for Stage I ovarian cancer, depending on which stage it is. The five-year survival rate for all stages combined is 24 percent.

Stage 3: Cancer development has involved one or both ovaries and distant metastases have also occurred.

Ovarian cancer diagnosis

Ovarian cancer diagnosis For women who present with ovarian cancer, the 5-year survival rate is 95%.

Current methods, including the detection of CA125 and ultrasound, are inadequate for screening. The current standard for ovarian cancer screening is a combination of a transvaginal ultrasound examination and a blood CA125 test.

Ultrasound is a non-invasive and convenient test. However, it can only detect advanced ovarian cancer and is inaccurate when used to detect

Exploratory surgery: Exploratory surgery is an option for young women with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Ultrasound: Ovaries are a couple of organs that produce the eggs in females.

Blood tests:

Positron emission tomographic scan (PET): This test helps to define areas in which there is a change in the blood supply and also helps to identify cancer.

Additional GI and lower G.I. Scope: This helps to rule out the primary cancer present in the GI. way.

CT scan: This helps to create two-dimensional images of the body that can show whether cancer has spread.

Mammography: This test can rule out metastatic tumors.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Magnetic resonance (MR) is a technique that detects nuclear magnetic resonance of an atomic nucleus placed in a static magnetic field.

As the ovaries are the primary site for the development of cancer, the incidence of ovarian cancer increases with age. However, about 50 percent of women who develop ovarian cancer are younger than 50.

The risk of developing ovarian cancer in women ages 50-69 is about 1 in 150. A woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer increases if the tumor is bilateral.

 

Risk factors include:

• Family history
• Race and ethnicity
• Pregnancy
• Recent pregnancy
• Obesity
• Recent childbirth
• Fibroids
• Cervical cancer (CIN III and CIN

Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

Radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy are treatment options for ovarian cancer.

Radiation therapy: This therapy uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells. This therapy helps to eliminate cancer that may be inside the radiation field.

Ovarian Surgery: Ovarian cancer is a dangerous form of cancer that starts in the ovaries, which are a pair of organs on either side of the womb. Depending on the specific stage of cancer, the removal of the ovaries can also include:

Laparoscopy: The use of this minimally invasive surgery depends on the extent of the cancer.

Frozen section tissue analysis: The nature of the tumor determines whether it is cancerous or non-cancerous, helping surgeons perform the appropriate procedure during the first surgery.

Laparotomy: Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women, according to the National Cancer Institute. The bad news is that about half of women will not have the symptoms to discover ovarian cancer until it has spread to other parts of the human body.

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