OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH
Protecting Your Vision

Ovarian Cancer Facts Everyone Should Know
By Sue Kim-Saechao, RN, MSN, CRNP, and Jannet Huang, MD, FRCPC, FACE, ABHM

Ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cause of death from cancer in women with an estimated 20,000 American women developing the disease and 15,000 dying from it yearly. Statistically, the highest incidence is in women over the age of 50. One in 55 women will be diagnosed with this disease in her lifetime.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most feared cancers in women due to the lack of accurate ovarian cancer screening methods and often the lack of symptoms indicating the diagnosis. Many women don’t have symptoms until the tumor spreads beyond the ovary into the surrounding tissue in the pelvis; by this time, it is already considered advanced stage disease.

Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer are very often nonspecific and frequently seen in other common conditions. These symptoms include bloating, constipation, irritable bowel symptoms, pelvic discomfort, abnormal vaginal bleeding, fatigue, urinary urgency or frequency, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.

A January 2007 study in the medical journal, Cancer, found that women evaluated at the earliest onset of these symptoms are more likely to be diagnosed at an early stage with significantly improved survival. Almost 90% of women diagnosed with early ovarian cancer reported at least one symptom, such as bloating or abdominal pain.

What are the risk factors for ovarian cancer?

• Those with first-degree relative with ovarian cancer, especially if diagnosed before age 40.
• Those with several family members with ovarian or breast cancer.
• Personal history of breast, uterus, colon or rectal cancer, or, family history of these cancers.
• Being over age 55 years.
• Never having been pregnant.
• Obesity, primarily in the waistline

Is there anything you can do to reduce your risk of ovarian cancer?

• Birth control pills use (substantial reduction if used for five years or more)
• Having children and breast feeding
• ovary removal for those at very high risk (does not eliminate risk completely)
• High vegetable intake, especially green leafy vegetables
• Tea and possibly ginger consumption
• Regular Physical Exercise

Are there any good screening tests for ovarian cancer?

Although there are no consistent, reliable screening tests to detect ovarian cancer, a thorough history and physical exam, as well as bloodwork and pelvic ultrasound constitute the basic evaluation. In women with abdominal or pelvic symptoms, it is important to evaluate for other causes of bloating & gastrointestinal/pelvic symptoms, such as celiac’s disease, diverticulosis, as well as hormonal / metabolic imbalances.

In appropriate patients, a pelvic exam and transvaginal ultrasound can also be used to detect abnormalities in the ovaries. Unfortunately, the tests that are most commonly used, including the CA-125 blood test and pelvic ultrasound are not 100% reliable due to both false positives and false negatives associated with these tests. At this time, a new screening test that combines CA-125 with several other blood markers is being tested and hopefully will become a more accurate screening option.

For appointments with the Center’s Endocrinology Team or Gynecologist, please call 949-872-2850 or email info@thecenterforoptimalhealth.org.

—September 2007

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