Ovarian cancer survivors hike Mount Everest
Arthel Neville speaks with Dr. Joanie Mayor Hope to discuss the excursion to Mount Everest to raise awareness for ovarian cancer on ’Fox News Live.’
Thousands of women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death for women in the U.S.
The earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat the disease.
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is in September.
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Early intervention is plausible and a key role in treatment and prognosis.
It is important to know the symptoms and familiarize yourself with the disease, if nothing else but to become aware for yourself and other women in your life.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. (iStock)
- What is ovarian cancer?
- What are early warning signs of ovarian cancer?
- How is ovarian cancer usually detected?
- What should I do if I think I have symptoms?
- Is ovarian cancer curable?
- What should I know about risk factors of ovarian cancer?
- What should I know about risk reduction of ovarian cancer?
- What age is ovarian cancer most common?
- What is the life expectancy for ovarian cancer?
1. What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is a cancer diagnosis specific to women. The type of cancer is found when abnormal cells form in the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
The female reproductive system has two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and also release estrogen and progesterone.
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When the cells, specifically in the ovaries, start to grow in an uncontrolled way, this is when ovarian cancer is likely detected.
2. What are early warning signs of ovarian cancer?
There are not any specific signs of early stage ovarian cancer, Dr. Michael Worley, a surgical gynecological oncologist with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital.
Ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague, Worley said. One symptom is losing or gaining weight.
Ovarian cancer is found in women where there are abnormal cells growing in the ovaries or fallopian tubes. (iStock)
Other symptoms may include abdominal bloating; bowel changes like diarrhea or constipation; bladder changes such as an increase in frequency or urgency; abdominal discomfort and pressure; and a sense of feeling full, Dr. Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, a gynecologic oncologist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told Fox News.
3. How is ovarian cancer usually detected?
There is no screening test for ovarian cancer.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) says efforts to develop a comprehensive screening test have not yielded "much success so far."
However, the organization provides two options in lieu of a comprehensive screening test — a transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and a CA-125 blood test.
A TVUS "uses sound waves to look at the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries by putting an ultrasound wand into the vagina." Though the test can detect tumors in the ovaries, it is unable to detect whether the tumor is benign or not.
The CA-125 blood test measures the amount of the CA-125 protein in the blood. While researchers have found elevated levels of the protein in women with ovarian cancer, the ACS advises that high levels of the protein have also been found in women with "common conditions such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease" while further noting that not all women with ovarian cancer test for high levels of CA-125.
If you are experiencing frequent abdominal pain, bloating or any other symptom associated with ovarian cancer, it is a good idea to see a doctor. (iStock)
4. What should I do if I think I have symptoms?
Often, symptoms associated with ovarian cancer can be difficult for women to spot since a lot of the symptoms are similar to that of a period or menopause.
If symptoms persist, a woman should see a medical provider for a pelvic ultrasound, Bakkum-Gamez said, adding that women diagnosed should see a gynecologic oncologist.
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Going to an OB-GYN "is a good place to start," Worley said, explaining that an ultrasound or a CT scan may sometimes be ordered.
5. Is ovarian cancer curable?
The earlier ovarian cancer is diagnosed in a woman, the more treatable the disease is. Typically, ovarian cancer is treated through surgery to remove the tumor and/or chemotherapy.
6. What should I know about risk factors?
One of the biggest risk factors for ovarian cancer is age, since it is typically found in older women.
Finding the cancer early is important for treatment. (iStock)
Family history, not having children and an endometriosis diagnosis are among the risk factors for ovarian cancer, according to the CDC.
Others include having the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene, which are linked to ovarian and breast cancer.
Additionally, Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Early onset of menses and late menopause are also risk factors, according to Worley.
Women with a family history of ovarian, fallopian tube cancer and breast cancer "should really be thinking about seeing a genetic counselor," Bakkum-Gamez said. "It "may lead to potential prevention."
7. What should I know about risk reduction?
For middle-aged women with the BRCA-1 gene, it is recommended they get their fallopian tubes tied and ovaries removed, per the CDC.
It is also recommended for women with the BRCA-2 gene, with different age guidelines.
Other aspects which may reduce a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer include giving birth, having a tubal ligation, having a hysterectomy, breast-feeding and using birth control pills, Bakum-Gamez said.
Oral birth control is "by far the easiest way" to reduce risk, Worley said. The method, he explained, also "works relatively well for people with BRCA mutations," noting there’s conflicting data about it increasing the risk of breast cancer and that these women should speak to their doctors.
Staying in good health through exercise and a balanced diet are good ways to prevent against cancer. (iStock)
Those who take oral birth control for five or more years have about a 50% lower risk of developing the cancer, according to the ACS. That being said, the pills come with other risks and side effects. Therefore, it is important to talk with your doctor about the risks before making your decision.
Risk reduction from a hysterectomy "is a little more controversial," Worley said, explaining that old data said the procedure didn’t reduce risk, while new data says it’s helpful. Just removing the uterus reduces ovarian risk, he said.
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Furthermore, living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk. This includes regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking.
8. What age is ovarian cancer most common?
One of the main factors that increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer is aging. For women under the age of 40, their risk of ovarian cancer is rare. Alternatively, half of all ovarian cancers are found in women 63 and older, according to the ACS.
Ovarian cancer is more common in women over the age of 63. (iStock)
Most commonly, ovarian cancer develops after a woman reaches menopause.
9. What is the life expectancy for ovarian cancer?
The life expectancy for someone with ovarian cancer are based on averages and also differ depending on the type of cancer that is present.
The ACS outlines relative survival rates for ovarian cancer based on women diagnosed between 2012 and 2018. The five-year survival rates determined are broken down between the type of ovarian cancer, invasive epithelial, stromal or germ cell tumor and also are broken up based on the stage of cancer, localized, regional and distant.
For someone with localized ovarian cancer, the cancer has not spread outside the ovaries. In regional ovarian cancer, it has spread outside, but nearby the ovaries. Lastly, in distant ovarian cancer, it has spread to more distant parts of the body, such as the liver or the lungs.
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The ACS says the five-year survival rate of all three stages combined in invasive epithelial ovarian cancer is 50%. This means that women with this type of ovarian cancer are 50% as likely as women who don't have the cancer to live for at least five years after they are diagnosed.
The survival rate for ovarian stromal tumors of all three stages combined is 89%, according to the source; and the survival rate for germ cell tumors of the ovary, all stages combined, is 92%.
Lastly, the five-year survival rate for fallopian tube cancer off all three stages combined is 55%.
Andy Sahadeo and Zoe Szathmary contributed reporting.
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