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Lee-Anne T. Hal
UNFORTUNATELY, ovarian cancer is becoming more prevalent in Zimbabwe. It is important to know how it presents as well as how to prevent it.
Risk factors
A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease, like cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, unprotected exposure to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for a number of cancers.
But risk factors don’t tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several risk factors, does not mean that you will get the disease. And many people who get the disease may not have had any known risk factors. Even if a woman with ovarian cancer has a risk factor, it is very hard to know how much that risk factor may have contributed to the cancer. Researchers have discovered several specific factors that change a woman’s likelihood of developing epithelial ovarian cancer. These risk factors don’t apply to other less common types of ovarian cancer like germ cell tumours and stromal tumours.
Causes
There are many theories about the causes of ovarian cancer. Some of them came from looking at the things that change the risk of ovarian cancer. For example, pregnancy and taking birth control pills both lower the risk of ovarian cancer. Since both of these things reduce the number of times the ovary releases an egg (ovulation), some researchers think that there may be some relationship between ovulation and the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Also, we know that tubal ligation and hysterectomy lower the risk of ovarian cancer. One theory to explain this is that some cancer-causing substances may enter the body through the vagina and pass through the uterus and fallopian tubes to reach the ovaries. This would explain how removing the uterus or blocking the fallopian tubes affects ovarian cancer risk. Another theory is that male hormones (androgens) can cause ovarian cancer.
Researchers have made great progress in understanding how certain mutations (changes) in DNA can cause normal cells to become cancerous. DNA is the chemical that carries the instructions for nearly everything our cells do. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. However, DNA affects more than the way we look. Some genes (parts of our DNA) contain instructions for controlling when our cells grow and divide. DNA mutations (defects) in these genes can lead to the development of cancer.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer may not cause any specific symptoms, particularly in its early stages. When it does cause symptoms, these may be non-specific and vague. Symptoms can include:
– abdominal enlargement or swelling,
– abdominal fullness,
– early satiety (feeling full early),
– changes in bowel or bladder habits, or
n clothes not fitting well.
Other signs and symptoms can include shortness of breath, leg swelling, and pain in the abdomen or pelvis. Fatigue may be present, but it is considered another non-specific symptom.
Prevention and routine check-ups
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of routine check-ups at the health care centre, clinics or doctor. As health professionals we suggest females have this check-up at least twice a year.
During a pelvic exam, the health care professional feels the ovaries and uterus for size, shape, and consistency. A pelvic exam can be useful because it can find some reproductive system cancers at an early stage, but most early ovarian tumours are difficult or impossible for even the most skilled examiner to feel. Pelvic exams may, however, help identify other cancers or gynecologic conditions. Women should discuss the need for these exams with their doctor.
The Pap test is effective in early detection of cervical cancer, but it isn’t a test for ovarian cancer. Rarely, ovarian cancers are found through Pap tests, but usually they are at an advanced stage.
Treatment options
The main treatments for ovarian cancer are surgery and chemotherapy.
Almost all women with ovarian cancer will need surgery. The amount and type of surgery you have will depend on your stage and type of cancer. The information in this section is about treating epithelial ovarian cancer. For some women with very early stages, surgery is the only treatment you need.
Most women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease and have a combination of both surgery and chemotherapy. You may have chemotherapy after surgery, or both before and after surgery.
You may find that other women you meet with ovarian cancer are having different treatment from you. This may be because they have a different type of ovarian cancer. Or it may be that their cancer is at a different stage. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or nurse any questions you may have about your treatment. It often helps to write down a list of questions you want to ask. You could also take a close friend or relative with you when you go to see the doctor — they can help you remember what was said.
For more information about ovarian cancer please contact me:
Lee-Anne T. Hall, BSc Physiotherapy mailto:[email protected] OR visit my website www.healthpromotionbyleeanne.wordpress.com
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo