Ovarian Cancer: The Silent Killer

When it comes to female cancers, breast cancer is the one which most often comes to mind. While it is true that breast cancer is responsible for the deaths of many women each year, the most deadly of the cancers is ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth among cancers in woman. As many as 20,000 women in the United States alone will develop ovarian cancer each year. This is because most ovarian cancer is not detected until it is in the last stages of the disease. While there are some new test which may help in the detection of ovarian cancer, signs of the disease usually only appear when the disease is advanced.

Women who go to their gynecologist each year are given a pap smear. While this test is a great means of detecting cervical cancer, it is of no value in the detection of ovarian cancer. One way women can protect themselves from ovarian cancer is by giving their physician a detailed family history. If there is a strong history of ovarian cancer in a family, the risks are high for the disease. As a result, doctors will be on the outlook for any signs.

Some of the signs of ovarian cancer are irregular menstruation, a feeling of heaviness or fullness even after a small meal, swelling or bloated stomach, and weight loss or gain. One may also experience pelvic pain, nausea, low back pain, shortness of breath, and loss of energy.

When a tumor develops in the ovary, it may either be benign or cancerous. Tumors are the growth of abnormal cells. If the tumor is cancerous, it will spread to surrounding organs more than moving through the blood stream as in many other cancers. While doctors still do not know what causes ovarian cancer, some believe that this is a result of the repair of tissue which takes place following the release of eggs. As this process occurs, there may be a malfunction in the process. Another theory is that it is a hormonal based problem which is a result of elevated levels of hormone levels before ovulation.