Ovarian cancer (female gonads) is a malignant tumor that develops in the ovaries and affects their tissues. Like other forms of cancer, ovarian cancer is a serious and dangerous disease.
Causes of ovarian cancer
The causes of ovarian cancer are not yet fully understood, but risk factors that may affect the appearance of a malignant tumor include the following:
- Genetic predisposition. Having a relative who has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or breast cancer increases the risk. Mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are responsible for this.
- The period of the beginning and end of menstruation. It is believed that early onset of menstruation and late onset of menopause in a woman increases the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer.
To a lesser extent, the risk of developing a malignant ovarian tumor increases in the presence of the following factors:
- age over 50;
- taking hormones, oral contraceptives;
- tubal ligation;
- breastfeeding
The development of ovarian cancer can also provoke inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, STDs, and hormonal disorders.
Types of ovarian cancer
By origin, malignant ovarian tumors can be divided into:
- Primary tumors - they form in the cells of the ovary. The most common variant of primary ovarian cancer is carcinoma, a tumor that is formed due to gene mutations in epithelial cells. Carcinomas can be divided into:
- serous - most common, in about half of the cases;
- endometrioid - they account for 10% of ovarian cancers;
- mucinous - 6% of cases;
- clear cell cancer is also 6%.
- Secondary - these are metastases of oncological diseases of other organs that have entered the ovaries with blood or lymph.
Stages of ovarian cancer
The most common classification of stages of ovarian cancer identifies four stages of its development:
- Stage 1 - the tumor does not extend beyond the ovary;
- Stage 2 - cancer affects neighboring organs and tissues of the small pelvis;
- Stage 3 - ovarian cancer metastasizes to the abdominal organs and nearby (regional) lymph nodes;
- Stage 4 - there are distant metastases in other organs and tissues of the body.
Ovarian cancer symptoms
In the early stages, ovarian cancer is usually asymptomatic. Early signs of the presence of malignant tumors may not cause a woman special problems and may not attract her attention. Unfortunately, the symptoms that begin to bother appear already in the later stages of ovarian cancer (stage 3 or 4). The most common symptoms of this cancer are:
Pain in the lower abdomen and/or back. They may not be strong, aching, usually one-sided, with long periods of calm. Pain can be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, the appearance of more solid areas in it.
Changes in the functioning of the bladder (frequent urge to urinate) and intestines. This is due to the fact that ovarian tumors put pressure on the bladder and / or rectum, which manifests itself in constipation and frequent urination, a feeling of incomplete emptying.
Abdominal enlargement due to ovarian tumors and their metastases in the peritoneum and other organs of the small pelvis. Neoplasms lead to the fact that fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity (ascites). This condition worsens the state of health, shortness of breath, loss of appetite may appear.
In the last stages of ovarian cancer, symptoms characteristic of any oncology appear: weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, etc.
If there are any of the signs of ovarian cancer, you should urgently be examined by a gynecological oncologist, as the prognosis for the treatment of advanced disease is very pessimistic.
