Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Ovarian Cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat and is frequently fatal. Early-stage Ovarian Cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully.

Early-stage Ovarian Cancer rarely causes any symptoms. Advanced-stage Ovarian Cancer may cause few and nonspecific symptoms that are often mistaken for more common benign conditions, such as constipation or irritable bowel.

Signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer may include:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Weight loss
• Discomfort in the pelvis area
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• A frequent need to urinate

The general treatment options for treating Colon Cancer usually include: surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy and radiation therapy. However, there are a few other treatment options that are available to patients. They could:

Take part in a clinical trial
Clinical trials are carefully controlled research studies that are done to get a closer look at promising new treatments or procedures. Clinical trials are one way to get state-of-the art cancer treatment. In some cases they may be the only way to get access to newer treatments. They are also the best way for doctors to learn better methods to treat cancer.

Consider alternative or complementary treatment
Alternative Treatment includes the use of vitamins, herbs, and special diets, or other methods such as acupuncture or massage, to name a few.

Complementary methods refer to treatments that are used along with regular medical care.

It is, unfortunately, not clear what causes Ovarian Cancer.

In general, cancer begins when a genetic mutation turns normal cells into abnormal cancer cells. Cancer cells quickly multiply, forming a mass (tumour). They can invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumour to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).

The type of cell where the cancer begins determines the type of Ovarian Cancer one has. Ovarian Cancer types include:

• Epithelial tumours, which begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers the outside of the ovaries. About 90 percent of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumours.
• Stromal tumours, which begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells. These tumours are usually diagnosed at an earlier stage than other ovarian tumours. About 7 percent of ovarian tumours are stromal.
• Germ cell tumours, which begin in the egg-producing cells. These rare ovarian cancers tend to occur in younger women.

The Ovarian Cancer risk factors on the other hand usually include: age, inherited gene mutation, estrogen hormone replacement therapy, never being pregnant, fertility treatment, smoking, use of intrauterine device and polycystic ovary syndrome.

If you have a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer, your doctor may recommend regular pelvic imaging and blood tests to screen for the disease.

Please contact us for a consultation on Ovarian Cancer. Our caring and knowledgeable Patient Representatives and doctors will attend to you as soon as possible.