Common Questions Answered About Ovarian Cancer

Many women have asked us about ovarian cancer. These common questions such as do ovarian cancer symptoms come on suddenly? Has my ovarian cancer spread? Do I have to have both of my ovaries removed? How confident are you that all of the cancer has been removed? So we are compelled to answer their questions through this article.

Ovarian cancer is the out-of-control growth of cells in the ovaries. These two glands are essential for sexual reproduction and women’s health too. Every female who is affected by Ovarian cancer might be in the form of a cyst that can be easily removed, or it might have developed to the later stages. But, it is quite sad for a woman to have ovarian cancer.

When you study female anatomy, one will find that; there is one ovary to the left side of the uterus, and one is to the right side of the uterus. These are responsible for producing eggs as well as releasing sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

A fertile women’s ovaries would release the eggs into her fallopian tubes, which is the pathway to the uterus. Many studies have reported that the origination of ovarian cancer is in the fallopian tubes. If detected in the fallopian tubes, it becomes easy to detect cancer, try to prevent it, and then treat it well.

Get all your doubts cleared related to ovarian cancer. What is ovarian cancer, how does it spreads? What are the signs and symptoms? Can it be cured? Read on this article.

What Are The Types Of Ovarian Tumors?

Your ovaries are made up of three cells. These cells have the potential to become malignant. The types of ovarian tumors are as follows:

Epithelial Ovarian Tumors

 These are the common type of ovarian tumors when would find.

Also, they are most likely to turn malignant.

This tumor originates from the cells that cover the exterior surface of the ovaries.

These tumors can be either be benign (non-cancerous), borderline (low malignant potential), or malignant.

The last group is a bit scary and is said to account for all ovarian cancers, around 85 to 90 percent.

Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors

This kind of tumor generally develops in the ova. Also, this is, most of the time, benign. This kind of tumor involves a type of cyst, which is known as a dermoid cyst.

This tumor is said to involve less than 2 percent of all ovarian cancers.

Ovarian Stromal Tumors

Found in the structural cells, which are responsible for holding the ovaries together and produce estrogen and progesterone.

This kind of tumor involves about 1 percent of all ovarian cancers.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer?

The scariest part of Ovarian cancer is that one might not know that it is being nourished inside the body until and unless it grows and becomes difficult to treat. This is the reason why ovarian cancer is life-threatening. The signs are vague, easy to ignore. The list of the symptoms of ovarian cancer is as follows:

1- Bloating

2- Pelvic or abdominal pain

3- Difficulty eating or feeling full too quickly

4- Urinary discomfort-unusual urgency or frequency

One might also experience other symptoms like,

1- Fatigue

2- Upset stomach

3- Back pain

4- Pain during sex

5- Constipation

6- Changes in the menstrual cycle

7- Abdominal swelling along with weight loss

Some very common questions asked related to ovarian cancer are as follows:

1- What is the role of the ovaries in the human body?

Ovaries were ae a pair of female reproductive organs. Located in the pelvis, each on either side of the uterus. You will find that your ovary is the size of an almond. So small, but an integral part responsible for producing eggs and female hormones.

2- If I get my ovaries removed, do I still have the chance to get ovarian cancer?

There is no way that one can contract ovarian cancer after they get their ovaries removed. It’s like they have uprooted the root cause. But, there is a very rare type of cancer called primary peritoneal carcinoma, which is very closely related to ovarian cancer. This type can develop without the ovaries.

3- Are there any symptoms of ovarian cancer during its early stages?

Ovarian cancer can be a bit tricky. It seldom shows its signs. It might showcase visible symptoms in the earlier stages, or sometimes, it goes unnoticeable. The detailed symptoms are mentioned above in the blog.

4- Can spreading awareness about ovarian cancer instill anxiety among women?

No, it relieves them. If the right expert spreads awareness, the woman will be more confident, plus her doubts can be cleared. Gathering information from non-experts can be risky, though.

5- Is there any link between hormone replacement therapy and ovarian cancer?

Women’s Health Initiative study suggests that women after their menopause who have undergone a combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regularly might be at a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

6- Does the use of talcum powder as a feminine powder increase the risk of ovarian cancer?

Few studies suggested the above statement to be true but failed to prove it because of the limited data they collected and analyzed.

7- Can any genetic screening determine whether a family member can pass on the disease to another family member?

Most of the time, ovarian cancer is hereditary. This ovarian cancer is often attributed to two mutations in two genes, BRCA 1(breast cancer gene 1) and BRCA 2 (breast cancer gene 2). Any woman who has inherited a mutation in these genes is at a higher risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer.

8- What are the ways to prevent ovarian cancer?

There is no way yet determined to prevent ovarian cancer. However, medical has developed few measures to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

9- What is endometriosis? Can it lead to ovarian cancer?

The endometrial tissue is the tissue that lines the inner surface of the uterus. Endometriosis is when the endometrial tissue 1grows outside of the uterus. It is said that women who do not bear a child by choice or due to infertility issues are at a higher risk for ovarian cancer.

10- Is there any link between fertility drugs and ovarian cancer? Does the usage of fertility drugs increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer?

Yes, there is. If one is taking fertility drugs, then it increases the risk of getting ovarian cancer.