Just doing my part...

Recently a member of my family has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I just feel that I have to do my part to spread the word on ovarian cancer. Since there are non-medical readers visiting this blog, I should spare them the intricate details and medical jargon relevant to this subject. So Ladies, please read on...Guys, get educated!!!

Ovarian Tumours

There are basically two common origins

1. epithelial, the outer layer of an ovary
2. germ cells, the part of the ovary where your ovum(egg) is made.

Epidemiological studies

• Ovarian Tumours affect predominantly postmenopausal women, ie around 50-60 yrs
  
• Ovarian cancer is a disease that principally affects middle and upper-class women in industrialized nations.
• One of the most common cancers affecting women especially those who are unmarried

Ovarian Tumour Info
Ovarian tumours have a high mortality rate, mainly because symptoms don't show up, usually presents as a buldge on your tummy. Therefore mortality rate can be high as 70% because at the time when it is diagnosed, it's already spread to your other organs around your abdominal and pelvic area.

Symptoms

• Sense of pelvic heaviness
• Vague lower abdominal discomfort
• Vaginal bleeding
• Weight gain or loss
• Abnormal menstrual cycles
• Unexplained back pain that worsens over time
• Increased abdominal girth
• Non-specific gastrointestinal symptom
• Increased gas
• Indigestion

There are marked differences in survival among patients with ovarian cancer, depending on factors such as age, cancer stage, and tissue type. Younger patients tend to fare better in all stages than do older patients, whereas race does not play a factor.

Ovarian tumours which are complicated by forming deposits on your peritoneum(peritoneal implants); basically your inner abdominal wall will have a poor prognosis.

Treatment

Treatment for Ovarian Tumour varies and depends on the stage of cancer, type of tumour, age of patient. Treatment varies from

Excision/Removal of ovaries

Chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

SO LADIES Get full body health checkups at least once a year, if not twice. Please do PAP Smears especially those who are married and above 30 years old. Though PAP smear is not diagnostic for ovarian tumour but it does reveal abnormalities that are tell-tale signs of Cervical Cancer, another major cancer affecting Ladies.