Ovarian cancer was the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States in 2020. Over 21,000 new cases were diagnosed and nearly 14,000 deaths were reported. It is the number one cause for reproductive cancer deaths.
An aggressive and deadly cancer, it has been called the silent killer because many women and medical professionals ignore the early warning signs, which often mimic less serious conditions like gastrointestinal or dietary issues. The dismissal of early symptoms results in a later diagnosis when the cancer has invaded other parts of the body.
The cancer typically advances from an early stage to an advanced stage in less than a year. However, malignant epithelial carcinoma, the most common form of ovarian cancer, only takes several weeks to months to spread out of control. Early diagnosis and treatment for ovarian cancer greatly increases the chance for a better prognosis.
While researchers haven't identified a definitive cause for the onset of the disease, one theory suggests that cancer causing substances, introduced through the vagina, may be responsible for developing ovarian cancer. Inherited genetic mutations are also highly correlated to a small percentage of cases.
Most women who develop ovarian cancer have experienced menopause and over half of all women diagnosed each year are aged 63 or older. Obesity is also associated with a higher risk for developing the disease and shows a link with negative survival rates.
Family history may be the strongest link to high risk for developing malignancies. Having a daughter, mother or sister with a history of ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, or breast cancer, substantially increases the risk of cancer. Other risks include:
Despite a better understanding of the early warning signs, only about 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases are found in the early stages of development. When ovarian cancer is diagnosed early, more than 90 percent of women survive more than 5 years. Because of the aggressive nature of the cancer, survival rates diminish rapidly the longer it takes to diagnose and begin treatment.
Symptoms are usually consistent and increase with intensity and discomfort. Although a small percentage of women do report fatigue, upset stomach and bloating early on in the advancement of the disease, the following symptoms are usually noticed when the disease is in an advanced state and has spread to other areas of the body:
Different treatment protocols, local and systemic, are available depending on the type of ovarian cancer and the stage of the disease. Local treatments include surgery and radiation therapy while systemic treatments feature chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy.
Surgery is typically the only treatment needed for cancer found during stage 1, with the removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes. However, in some cases if the patient wants to become pregnant in the future, only the cancerous ovary and corresponding fallopian tube are removed.
With stage II cancers, surgery is more extensive and may include a hysterectomy in addition to more aggressive chemotherapy treatment.
Stage III treatment requires surgery, chemotherapy and removal or partial removal of other organs invaded by the cancer, such as the liver, intestines, or the bladder.
Stage IV cancers are very advanced with extensive malignancies throughout the body that may include bones, the lungs and liver. Surgery and chemotherapy may be appropriate treatments if the individual is still healthy enough to endure those procedures. Otherwise, palliative care is offered to make the patient as comfortable as possible during end-stage disease.
