ϻ�ovarian cancer ovarian cancer overview ovarian cancer occurs when a cancerous tumor is in a woman’s ovary. There are often no symptoms, but ovarian cancer warning signs include ongoing pain or cramps in the belly or back, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and nausea and bloating. Sydney true psych 471 reproductive cancers assignment university of nebraska lincoln ovarian cancer research paper ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that is characterized by the formation of the cancer cells in the tissues of a woman €™s reproductive glands, the ovaries. It is when normal ovarian cells begin to grow uncontrollably that this cancer develops into dangerous malignant tumors that can be found in one or both ovaries.

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There are three types of these cells that are responsible for ovarian cancer: surface epithelium, germ cells, and stromal cells. Surface epithelial ovarian cancer is the type that grows on the outer surface of the ovary. This is the most common form of this cancer, appearing in about 90 percent of ovarian cancer cases.

Of the more rare forms, germ cell tumors originate specifically in the egg producing cells and the stromal ovarian cancer in the supportive tissue encasing the ovaries. In women, older age and obesity may increase the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Other factors include a personal or family history of this or other types of cancer, women who have taken estrogen after menopause especially for longer than 5 years , and women who have trouble conceiving.

The symptoms that are commonly associated with ovarian cancer are similar to some less serious disorders, but in this case, they may occur more and become more severe. Cancer treatment centers of america ctca list on their website w.cancercenter.com that the most general symptoms of ovarian cancer include: bloating, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea, change in urinary frequency feeling like you have to go more often , pressure in the abdomen, back, or legs, vaginal bleeding including heavy periods , and fatigue. Unfortunately, and as any woman can attest to, these symptoms may be part of a normal menstrual cycle. Women are encouraged to become more aware of how their body usually feels and see a doctor if any abnormalities persist after several weeks for an examination.

In order to make a diagnosis of ovarian cancer a doctor will perform a serious of tests including: a pelvic examination for any knots or bumps that could be possible cancerous growths a pap smear to test for signs of cancerous cells an ultrasound that tests the sound waves of healthy tissue versus potential tumors. A magnetic resonance imaging mri test uses radiofrequency to distinguish diseased tissue from normal tissue. A ca 125 blood test will show a possible increase in levels of ca 125 protein, an increase that is often linked to ovarian cancer. A gynecologic oncologist can perform a laparotomy to collect fluid samples from the abdominal cavity in order to test for abnormalities. Lastly, a less invasive test that is similar to the laparascopy but requires only a few small incisions. Once a diagnosis of the cancer has been made, scientists continue to study the genes responsible for familial ovarian cancer. This research is beginning to yield clues about how these genes normally work and how disrupting their action can lead to cancer.

This information eventually is expected to lead to new drugs for preventing and treating familial ovarian cancer. Research in this area has already led to better ways to detect high risk genes and assess a woman 39 s ovarian cancer risk. A better understanding of how genetic and hormonal factors such as oral contraceptive use interact may also lead to better ways to prevent ovarian cancer. New information about how much brca1 and brca2 gene mutations increase ovarian cancer risk is helping women make practical decisions about prevention. For example, mathematical models have been developed that help estimate how many years of life an average woman with a brca mutation might gain by having both ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to prevent a cancer from developing. Studies have shown that fallopian tube cancers develop in women with brca gene mutations more often than doctors had previously suspected.

However, it is important to remember that although doctors can predict the average outcome of a group of many women, it is still impossible to accurately predict the outcome for any individual woman. Recent studies suggest that many primary peritoneal cancers and some ovarian cancers such as high grade serous carcinomas actually start in the fallopian tubes. According to this theory, the early changes of these cancers can start in the fallopian tubes. Cells from these very early fallopian tube cancers can become detached and then stick to the surface of the peritoneum or the ovaries. For reasons that are still not understood, these cancer cells may grow more rapidly in their new locations.

This theory has important implications for preventing ovarian cancer because having the ovaries removed early can cause problems from lack of estrogen, such as bone loss, cardiovascular disease, and menopause symptoms. Some experts have suggested recently that some women who are concerned about their ovarian cancer risk especially those with a strong family history and/or brca gene mutations consider having just their fallopian tubes removed first. This approach lets women keep their ovaries functioning for longer, but because of that, it might not help breast cancer risk as much.

Researchers are constantly looking for clues such as lifestyle, diet, and medicines that may alter the risk of ovarian cancer. Accurate ways to detect ovarian cancer early could have a great impact on the cure rate. Researchers are testing new ways to screen women for ovarian cancer, and a national repository for blood and tissue samples from ovarian cancer patients is being established to aid in these studies. One method being tested is looking at the pattern of proteins in the blood called proteomics to find ovarian cancer early. From time to time, lab companies have marketed unproven tests to look for early ovarian cancer.

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Because these tests had not yet been shown to help find early cancer, the us food and drug administration fda told the companies to stop selling them. So far, this occurred with 2 different tests looking at protein patterns: ovasure and ovacheck. Both studies looked at using the ca 125 blood test along with ovarian transvaginal ultrasound to find ovarian cancer. But the outcomes of the women who were screened were not better than the women who werent screened. The screened women did not live longer and were not less likely to die from ovarian cancer.

The levels of these proteins, when looked at together, are used to put women with tumors into 2 categories low risk and high risk. The women called high risk are more likely to have a cancer, and so should have surgery by a specialist a gynecologic oncologist. This test is not a screening test it is only meant for use in women who have an ovarian tumor. Treatment research includes testing the value of currently available methods as well as developing new approaches to treatment. The drugs trabectedin yondelis 174 and belotecan have shown promise in some studies. When the drugs cisplatin and carboplatin stop working, the cancer is said to be platinum resistant.

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Studies are looking for ways like other drugs to make these cancers sensitive to these drugs again. Although carboplatin is preferred over cisplatin in treating ovarian cancer if the drug is to be given iv, cisplatin is used in intraperitoneal ip chemotherapy. This, known as heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy or hipec, can be effective, but is very toxic. It still needs to be studied and compared with standard ip chemo to see if it actually works better.

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Targeted therapy is a newer type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack cancer cells while doing little damage to normal cells. Each type of targeted therapy works differently, but they all attack the cancer cells 39 inner workings the programming that makes them different from normal, healthy cells. Bevacizumab avastin is the targeted therapy that has been studied best in ovarian cancer, but other drugs are also being looked at, as well. Pazopanib votrient 174 is a targeted therapy drug that, like bevacizumab, helps stop new blood vessels from forming. Poly adp ribose polymerases parps are enzymes that have been recently recognized as key regulators of cell survival and cell death. Drugs that inhibit parp 1 help fight cancers caused by mutations in brca1 and brca2.