Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries and can spread to other organs. The symptoms of ovarian cancer often don’t develop until later stages, so early detection is important and can greatly improve your chances of recovery.
 

Early signs of ovarian cancer include:

• Pelvic or abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating
• Changes in your eating habits, getting full early and losing your appetite
• Vaginal discharge or abnormal bleeding 
• Bowel changes, such as diarrhea or constipation
• An increase in the size of your abdomen 
• Frequent urination

Some people have a greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than others. Risk factors include:

• Being over the age of 60
• Obesity
• Never being pregnant, or having children later in life
• Endometriosis — when tissue similar to uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, which can cause pain, irregular periods and infertility
• Family history of ovarian cancer — this may include inheriting one of two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that are commonly linked to ovarian and breast cancer

Ovaries contain three different types of cells, which can become three types of ovarian cancer.
 

Epithelial Cells

Epithelial cells are found in the outer layer of the ovaries. Tumors that form from these cells are called epithelial tumors, and they are the most common form of ovarian cancer.
 

Germ Cells

Germ cells form eggs inside the ovaries. Germ cell ovarian cancer is rare, and many of the tumors that form in germ cells are benign.
 

Stromal Cells

Stromal cells make up the tissue inside the ovaries and produce hormones. Stromal cell cancer is another rare form of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer can be prevented only by removing the ovaries, but you can help lower your risk by:

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Eating a low-fat diet
• Taking birth control pills for at least three months – the risk is lower the longer the contraceptives are taken, and the lower risk continues for many years after you stop taking them
• Having a child – Childbirth can lower your risk of ovarian cancer
  
• Discussing hormone replacement therapy with your doctor

Mercy doctors and cancer specialists are skilled in diagnosing and treating ovarian cancer. We’ll make sure you understand your condition and we’ll work with you to find the treatment plan that’s best for you.

A regular pelvic exam allows your gynecologist to check for any abnormalities in your reproductive system, including tumors.

The protein CA-125 is naturally found in the reproductive system, but the amount increases if you have ovarian cancer. A blood test can determine what the levels of CA-125 are in your system. While the CA-125 is not considered to be an ovarian cancer screening test, it is used to monitor treatment response for patients with ovarian cancer.

A gynecologic ultrasound is used to take a look at the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. It can help reveal abnormalities throughout your reproductive system.

Surgery is usually the first treatment for ovarian cancer. It's performed to remove as much of the tumor as possible (also called debulking). It can also determine how far the cancer may have spread. Mercy has many skilled gynecologic surgeons who perform minimally invasive surgery. Based on the results, your doctor may suggest one of the following procedures:

• Oophorectomy – An oophorectomy is the removal of either one or both ovaries, often along with the fallopian tubes
• Hysterectomy – A hysterectomy is the total removal of both the uterus and cervix

Preventive Surgical Options

Preventive surgery isn’t recommended for everyone, but if you have a strong family history of ovarian cancer, surgery can reduce your risk of developing cancer. Options for preventive surgery include partial hysterectomy (only removing uterus) and tubal ligation (removing fallopian tubes). Talk to your Mercy provider about the risks and benefits of having preventive surgery for ovarian cancer. You may be a candidate for preventive surgery if you have:

• A family history of ovarian or breast cancer
• BRCA1, BRCA2 or other gene mutations related to ovarian cancer
• Previous breast, colorectal or endometrial cancer diagnosis

Hormone therapy is not commonly used to treat epithelial cell cancer, but it can help with stromal cell cancer. Hormone therapy uses medication to raise or lower certain hormones in the reproductive system, often to increase estrogen and decrease androgens.

Chemotherapy is used more commonly than radiation therapy with ovarian cancer. In this treatment, one or more medications are used to fight cancer cells. Unlike targeted therapy, however, chemotherapy treatment can cause greater damage to healthy cells as the medication can’t always differentiate between cancerous and healthy cells.

This type of therapy uses x-ray energy to eliminate cancer cells. The kind of radiation therapy most often used with ovarian cancer is called external beam radiotherapy. In this type of radiation, the x-rays come from a machine that targets a specific point on the body.

This type of cancer treatment focuses on the proteins that control how cancerous cells grow and divide. Targeted therapy can eliminate cancer cells while doing less damage to normal cells. Not all types of cancer can be targeted, but ovarian cancer is one type that can benefit from targeted therapy.