A new large study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) suggests that incidence rates have continued to rise in successively younger generations in 17 of the 34 cancer types, including breast, pancreatic, ...
Jul 31, 2024
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.Women who underwent menopause at an age younger than 46 were nearly twice as likely to have breast cancer compared to others their age, researchers found.
Jul 31, 2024
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People with a BRCA1 gene mutation, which increases breast and ovarian cancer risk, are also at increased risk of impaired fertility, Monash University-led research has confirmed in preclinical models and human tissue samples.
Jul 31, 2024
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A new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to allow rapid, low-cost detection of clinically actionable genomic alterations directly from tumor biopsy slides has been developed by a team led by engineers ...
Jul 31, 2024
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An iron-binding drug that is already approved for treatment of other diseases could provide a novel way to attack ovarian tumors, according to a new study led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers. The preclinical study, ...
Jul 29, 2024
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More and more studies show that men face risks of cancer from BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations that are most often associated with breast and ovarian cancers in women.
Jul 26, 2024
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Women treated for ovarian cancer caused by an inherited faulty gene have a lower risk of developing breast cancer following that treatment, new research from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and The University ...
Jul 25, 2024
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A landmark study from researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U), the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the U, and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has found ...
Jul 17, 2024
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Current screening protocols fail to catch a notable number of people carrying genetic mutations associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome and Lynch syndrome, which increase the risk of developing certain ...
Jul 17, 2024
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The World Health Organization's cancer agency on Friday classified talc as "probably carcinogenic" for humans, however an outside expert warned against misinterpreting the announcement as a "smoking gun".
Jul 5, 2024
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Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from different parts of the ovary.
The most common form of ovarian cancer (≥80%) arises from the outer lining (epithelium) of the ovary. Other forms arise from the egg cells (germ cell tumor).
In 2004, 25,580 new cases were diagnosed and 16,090 women died of ovarian cancer. The risk increases with age and decreases with pregnancy. Lifetime risk is about 1.6%, but women with affected first-degree relatives have a 5% risk. Women with a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a 25% risk. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of death from cancer in women and the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer.
10-year relative survival ranges from 84.1% in stage IA to 10.4% in stage IIIC.
Ovarian cancer causes non-specific symptoms, which contribute to diagnostic delay, resulting in a late stage and a poor prognosis. Most women with ovarian cancer report one or more symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort, an abdominal mass, bloating, back pain, urinary urgency, constipation, tiredness and a range of other non-specific symptoms, as well as more specific symptoms such as pelvic pain, abnormal vaginal bleeding or involuntary weight loss. There can be a build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity (this is called ascites).
An abnormal physical examination (including a pelvic examination), a blood test (for CA-125, more specifically) or medical imaging studies can provide evidence leading to an ovarian cancer diagnosis. The diagnosis can be confirmed with a surgical procedure (open or keyhole surgery) to inspect the abdominal cavity, take biopsies (tissue samples for microscopic analysis) and look for cancer cells in the abdominal fluid. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy and surgery, and sometimes radiotherapy.
In most cases, the cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown. Older women, and in those who have a first or second degree relative with the disease, have an increased risk. Hereditary forms of ovarian cancer can be caused by mutations in specific genes (most notably BRCA1 and BRCA2, but also in genes for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer). Infertile women and those with a condition called endometriosis, those who have never been pregnant and those who use postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy are at increased risk. Use of oral contraceptive pills is a protective factor. The risk is also lower in women who have had their uterine tubes blocked surgically (tubal ligation).
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
