Can someone tell me if the aches and paines caused by this come and go or if once they start they just stay and get worse. I cant seem to find the answer. From the way it sounds the pain should be consistant. Thanks|||Ovarian cancer has often been called the %26#039;silent killer%26#039; because symptoms are not thought to develop until advanced stages when chance of cure is poor,%26quot; write Barbara A. Goff, MD, from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and colleagues. %26quot;Other investigators have also shown that 80% to 90% of women with early stage disease will report symptoms for several months prior to diagnosis. Identification of early symptoms may have important clinical implications because 5-year survival for early stage disease is 70% to 90% compared with 20% to 30% for advanced-stage disease.%26quot;

Of 1,709 women who visited two primary care clinics and completed an anonymous survey of symptoms experienced for the past year (July 2001 to January 2002), 128 women had ovarian masses.

In the overall clinic population, 72% reported recurring symptoms with a median number of two symptoms; 45% had back pain, 34% had fatigue, 27% had bloating, 24% had constipation, 22% had abdominal pain, and 16% had urinary symptoms.

Compared with controls, ovarian cancer cases had significantly increased odds ratios for increased abdominal size (7.4), bloating (3.6), urinary urgency (2.5), and pelvic pain (2.2). Compared with women with benign masses or with controls, women with ovarian cancer had significantly more symptoms of higher severity and more recent onset, and they typically experienced symptoms 20 to 30 times per month. The symptom pattern of bloating, increased abdominal size, and urinary symptoms was reported by 43% of women with ovarian cancer but by only 8% of the overall primary care clinic population.

%26quot;While our current study did find that women who present to primary care clinics frequently have vague symptoms that can be associated with ovarian cancer, the important difference is that these symptoms are less severe and less frequent when compared with women with ovarian cancer,%26quot; the authors write. %26quot;Women with ovarian cancer typically have symptoms of recent onset and have multiple symptoms that coexist. This study adds further evidence that ovarian cancer is not a silent disease.%26quot;

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Inc., supported this study.

In an accompanying editorial, Mary B. Daly, MD, PhD, and Robert F. Ozols, MD, PhD, from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, review the morbidity and mortality of ovarian cancer, and they note that one reason for the relatively high case-fatality rate is failure to identify early stage disease.

Because there are to date no acceptable screening approaches to detect early ovarian cancer, symptom recognition is crucial. Characteristics of the symptoms that should raise clinical suspicion of ovarian cancer are frequency, severity, time of onset, and total number of symptoms.

%26quot;The importance of this study is not the validation of a symptom cluster as a precise way to diagnose ovarian cancer, but rather the reinforcement of the need for an ongoing process of communication between patients and their physicians,%26quot; Drs. Daly and Ozols write. %26quot;In the absence of more definitive diagnostic tools, early detection of ovarian cancer will continue to challenge both the artistic skill of astute clinicians as well as their accumulated scientific acumen.%26quot;

JAMA. 2004;291:2705-2712, 2755-2756

Learning Objectives for This Educational Activity

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

List symptoms and organ systems associated with ovarian cancer.

Compare symptoms of ovarian cancer with other symptoms common to women seeking medical care.

Clinical Context

Ovarian cancer causes more mortality in the U.S. than any other gynecologic cancer. One reason for the lethality of this neoplasm is the fact that it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when the disease is more difficult to treat. According to the authors of the current study, the 5-year survival rate for early stage ovarian cancer is 70% to 90% compared with rates of 20% to 30% for patients with advanced disease.

A good screening tool for ovarian cancer remains elusive. Both transvaginal ultrasound and cancer antigen 125 levels present problems with sensitivity and specificity. However, clinical symptoms may offer another means to discover ovarian cancer at an earlier stage. In a survey of 1,725 women with ovarian cancer written by the same authors as the current study and published in the November 15, 2000, issue of Cancer, 95% of all women reported symptoms prior to their diagnosis of cancer. The systems most frequently affected were categorized as abdominal, gastrointestinal, pain, constitutional, and urinary. Pelvic symptoms were rarer than these other symptoms and were experienced by only 26% of patients.

These same authors%26#039; new research compares symptoms of patients with ovarian cancer with those found in women in benign pelvic masses and a general cohort of women seeking medical care.

Study Highlights

The study analyzed surveys of symptoms given to two groups of women. One group was a general cohort of women presenting for primary health care at one of two clinics. The other group comprised women scheduled for surgery to remove an ovarian or pelvic mass. Surveys were completed for a 6-month period, and patients were instructed to complete only one survey.

1,709 women from the primary care practices completed the survey. 62% of these patients were presenting for a specific problem, while 25% were interested in a general check up. This cohort was predominantly white and well-educated.

95% of the primary care group reported at least one symptom in the past year. The most common symptoms were back pain (60%), fatigue (52%), indigestion (37%), and urinary tract problems (35%). The median number of symptoms reported was 4, and the median severity of symptoms was between 2 and 3 on a 5-point scale in which 5 represented the most severe symptoms. 72% of women in the primary care group reported symptoms at least once per month.

Women presenting to primary care clinics for care of diabetes, thyroid disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) reported more symptoms than other women in this group.

The incidence of all symptoms except urinary tract symptoms decreased with age in the primary care group.

128 women with pelvic masses underwent surgery, and 84 were found to have benign disease or tumors with low malignant potential. 11 women had early stage ovarian cancer, and 33 had late stage cancer.

95% of women with benign disease reported symptoms in the last year, and 67% of these subjects had recurrent symptoms.

94% of women in the group with ovarian cancer reported symptoms in the last year, and 67% of the participants had recurrent symptoms. The median number of symptoms was significantly higher than the other groups (8) as was the number of recurrent symptoms (4).

Specific symptoms more common in women with ovarian cancer compared with the primary care group included pelvic pain, abdominal pain, difficulty eating, bloating, increased abdominal size, and urinary urgency.

When compared with women with IBS, subjects with ovarian cancer were more likely to have increased pelvic pain, bloating, abdominal size, and urinary tract symptoms. However, women with IBS were more likely to experience diarrhea and indigestion.

The combination of bloating, increased abdominal size, and urinary tract symptoms was positive in 43% of women with ovarian cancer, 10% of women with benign masses, 13% of women with IBS, and 8% of women from the overall primary care group.

The severity of symptoms was generally worse in women with ovarian cancer and IBS compared with other participants.

Women with ovarian cancer experienced more daily symptoms, while primary care group subjects were more likely to have symptoms on an average of 2 to 3 times per month, in many cases associated with menses.

Women with malignant masses had experienced symptoms for a median of less than 6 months, and results for women with benign masses were similar. However, women with IBS and in the general primary care population had experienced symptoms for a median of 12 to 24 months prior to the survey.

Pearls for Practice

Ovarian cancer causes significant mortality in women and has been associated with symptoms comprising several different organ systems.

Women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have certain symptoms with a higher frequency and a reduced total duration of symptoms than women presenting for primary care services.|||Some women have no pain whatsoever until it is too late. Best thing to do is get the Pap test. Also - if something hurts - go to the doctor. Don%26#039;t take any chances.|||There are just too many symptoms of ovarian cancer to list. Getting a papsmear does NOT detect ovarian cancer. Usually if you have painful ovaries, your doctor will send you for an ultrsound, MRI or even a CT scan depending on what the Dr %26quot;feels%26quot; when they are doing your exam. There is blood work that can be done,(its called a CA125). If you have pain, go to thr doctor, if your at risk, go to the doctor….moral of the story…go to the doctor. I hope you find some relief and answers|||Hi there, I have an ovarian mass right now and am a former cancer survivor. Usually some symptoms come and go, others stay. Example, bloating and swelling in the abdomen and a %26quot;full%26quot; kind of feeling would stay. Pain, possible bleeding, etc could come and go. See the mass can torque or shift and cause pain or press on something, if it breaks the pain can be relieved but will come back, therefore come and go. Best thing to do is get checked out. It could be cysts or endometriosis, fibroid, etc, lots of other things.

The gyno doc will do an exam, probably urine test, blood work, then send you for a pelvic ultrasound which you drink 1 quart of water 1 hour before the test, hold your urine/pee, and have the test done then you can go to the bathroom. The tech, most of them, will tell you right away if you have a fibroid or cyst, for cancer they would tell you the dr would talk to you. They may want to examine the mass closer so they would do a transvaginal sonogram, you insert a stick thing covered with a condom into your vagina, they take picture through that and it shows the ovaries much closer view.|||My Mother had Ovarian Cancer her aches and pains got worse as the cancer spread and I believe they were constant|||I was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer in Aug of 1999. My aches and pains were always there. They weren%26#039;t always as bad, but, yes, always there.

I have been CANCER FREE for 6 years now. The possibilities of that are low. If you think you have ovarian cancer, be seen by your doctor IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!! I saw my doctor and had MAJOR surgery the next week. He told me if I had waited another month, I would%26#039;ve died.m

PLEASE GET CHECKED OUT IF YOU EVEN THINK YOU HAVE OVARIAN CANCER……………|||Consult your Dr., he should order a pelvic ultra-sound, if this test is inconclusive, he may order a CT scan with contrast along with lab work. Any pain experienced for over a week should be seen by your Dr. especially if you have a family history.

Ovarian cancer is a malignant ovarian neoplasm (an abnormal growth located on the ovaries).

Symptoms

sense of pelvic heaviness

vaginal bleeding

weight gain or weight loss

abnormal menstrual cycles

unexplained back pain that worsens over time

increased abdominal girth

non specific gastrointestinal symptoms:

vague lower abdominal discomfort

increased gas

indigestion

lack of appetite

nausea and vomiting

inability to ingest usual volumes of food

bloating

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

increased urinary frequency/urgency

excessive hair growth|||most of the time there are no symptons…..go and get tested to put your mind at ease…..

If you are unfortunate to be diagnosed with cancer then I sugest you check out this site for some helpful information

www.the-institute.com.au|||Irregular periods, extremely painful periods, bleeding between cycles. Pain during sexual activity.

http://www.webmd.com/hw/ovarian_cancer/t…

Go to a OB GYN immediately and get a PAP smear. It has an 80 percent survival rate if detected early. If you have genital warts you need to monitor it closely, warts are caused by HPV and that is the virus you hear so much about on TV.|||As in many cancers one may not get any symptoms, before it is advanced, hence regular medicals with special reference to any particular symptoms would be the wise thing to do. Choose your doctors with care.|||enlareges ovaries,discomfort lower abdomen,bloating,gas pains severe,backache,anemia,weight loss,|||Allway show concern for things like this , my sister is terminal with pancreatic cancer which has spread over a period of weeks,the first diognosis was gall stones and she will now be dead within weeks at age 47 , so please get it throughly checked in all areas or it may be to late.|||There is a good article on LifeToolsForWomen.com -

Called the %26quot;silent killer%26quot;, ovarian cancer has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of women, including funny ladies Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, best known for their comedic television and film roles. Each of them hoped that their celebrity status would bring awareness to the disease and help others; their legacies live on through such organizations as Gilda´s Club, founded by Joanna Bull, and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, founded by the leaders of seven ovarian cancer groups.

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer accounts for 4% of all cancers among women, and ranks 5th as a cause of their deaths from cancer. The Society estimates that there will be 23,400 new cases diagnosed and 13,900 deaths from the disease this year alone. This rate has barely improved over the last 50 years.(1)

Ovarian cancer comes from cells of the ovary that grow and divide uncontrollably. These cells may grow to form a tumor on the ovary, and may spread to other parts of the body. There are different types of tumors that can start in the ovaries. Some are benign (non-cancerous); others are malignant (cancerous). Although ovarian cancer can spread throughout the entire body, in most cases it stays in the abdomen and affects organs such as the intestines, liver, and stomach.(2)

Early diagnosis is crucial: the 5-year survival rate for Stage I patients is nearly 90%; 70% for Stage II patients. Unfortunately, almost 70% of

women with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is in advanced Stages (III-IV), and the 5-year survival rate for those women

is only 15-20%. (3)

Ovarian Cancer Symptoms %26amp; Risk Factors

While varying from patient to patient, common symptoms of ovarian cancer include abdominal pressure, bloating or discomfort; nausea, indigestion or gas; urinary frequency; constipation or diarrhea; abnormal vaginal bleeding; unusual fatigue; and unexplained weight gain or loss. Symptoms are often associated with the location of the tumor and its impact on the surrounding organs. Symptoms can mimic other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, etc. Women who are concerned about symptoms they may be experiencing should see their gynecologist.

While all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, studies by the National Cancer Institute show that the following factors may elevate risk: personal or family history of ovarian, breast, or colon cancer; increasing age (56% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are older than age 65); and childbearing status (women who have never had children are more likely to develop ovarian cancer than those who have). Use of fertility drugs or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause may also cause a slightly increased risk. Researchers are studying these possible links, as well as performing further investigation into the role genetics play and potential environmental causes of the disease. (4)

Some studies have shown that breastfeeding and taking oral contraceptives may decrease a woman´s likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Women who have had a tubal ligation or hysterectomy (removal of uterus) also have a lower risk of developing the disease. In addition, researchers suggest that reducing the amount of fat in the diet may also lower a woman´s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Women who are at high risk for ovarian cancer due to a family history of the disease may consider having their ovaries removed before the cancer develops, through a surgical procedure called a prophylactic oophorectomy. (5)

Diagnosing Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer may be diagnosed through a series of exams and tests, such as a pelvic exam; an ultrasound; a CA-125 assay (a blood test used to measure the level of CA-125, a tumor marker that is often found in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of women with ovarian cancer); a lower GI series or barium enema (a series of x-rays of the colon and rectum); a CT Scan; and a surgical biopsy, in which tissue is removed for examination under a microscope.

According to the National Ovarian Cancer Resource Center, the 3 main types of tumors are:

Epithelial: epithelial ovarian tumors develop from the cells that cover the outer surface of the ovary. Most epithelial ovarian tumors are benign. Cancerous epithelial tumors are carcinomas. These are the most common and most deadly of all types of ovarian cancers, and epithelial ovarian carcinomas account for 85% of all ovarian cancers. Although most epithelial ovarian cancers occur in women who do not have a family history of the disease, about 5-10% of women with ovarian epithelial cancer have other family members who have also had the same kind of cancer.

Germ Cell: ovarian germ cell tumors develop from the cells that produce the ova (eggs). Most germ cell tumors are benign, although some are cancerous and may be life threatening. Germ cell malignancies occur most often in teenagers and women in their twenties. An estimated 90% of patients with ovarian germ cell malignancies can be cured and their fertility preserved.

Ovarian: stromal tumors develop from connective tissue cells that hold the ovary together and from those that produce the female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). These tumors are quite rare and are usually considered low-grade cancers, with approximately 70% presenting as stage I disease.

%26quot;Stage%26quot; of disease is ascertained during surgery and is based on how far the tumor has spread. With Stage I, growth of the cancer is limited to one or both ovaries. With Stage II, growth of the cancer involves one or both ovaries, with pelvic extension. With Stage III, growth of the cancer involves one or both ovaries, the cancer has spread beyond the pelvis to the lining of the abdomen, and/or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes. Stage IV is the most advanced, in which growth of the cancer involves one or both ovaries and distant, lymphatic spread has occurred.

Treatment Options

Treatment options and patient outcomes depend on the type of cancer and how far it has spread before it is diagnosed. Treatments include:

Radical surgery, in which the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix are usually removed, through an operation known as hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Often, the surgeon will also remove the omentum (the thin tissue covering the stomach and large intestine) and lymph nodes (small organs located along the channels of the lymphatic system) in the abdomen. If the cancer has spread, the surgeon usually removes as much of the cancer as possible in a procedure called tumor debulking. Tumor debulking reduces the amount of cancer that will have to be treated later with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells (%26quot;chemical therapy%26quot;). Chemotherapy may be given to destroy any cancerous cells that may remain after surgery, to control tumor growth, and/or to relieve symptoms of the disease. After chemotherapy is completed, a second-look surgery may be performed to examine the abdomen directly. The surgeon may remove fluid and tissue samples to see whether the drugs have been successful in eradicating the disease.

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells.

Side effects of these treatments range from surgical pain and induction of surgical menopause to nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, numbness and tingling in hands or feet, headaches and hair loss.

Follow-up care after treatment for ovarian cancer is important and should include regular checkups, complete with physical and pelvic exams, Pap tests, a urinalysis, a CBC (complete blood count) and a CA-125 assay.

Ovarian cancer is curable if diagnosed and treated early!! Be aware of symptoms and request tests of your doctor that may save your life.

Where to find help:

National Cancer Institute

National Ovarian Cancer Resource Center

Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry

Gilda´s Club

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

References:

1) American Cancer Society

2) Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry

3) %26quot;What Is Ovarian Cancer?%26quot; by the National Ovarian Cancer Resource Center

4) %26amp; 5): %26quot;Ovarian Cancer,%26quot; by the National Cancer Institute. NIH Publication No. 00-1561

Can anyone tell me about it? For a school project.

thanks!|||cancer sucks, period|||google|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovarian_can…|||google gilda%26#039;s house

Hi Jacki, I%26#039;ve had Ovaian cancer since 1993, 1993 I had a total hysterectomy and no rradiation or chemo, not done at that time %26quot;they got it all%26quot;.At that time I asked repeatedly for chemo but no was the word. I had my CA125 done at first every three months or so, then over the years every 6 months ,then yearly, then feeling fairly confident 1.5 years. I started a new relationship and was asked to have one done just to know where I stood and it was extremely elevated. so I had a CAT SCAN and showed more activity, this was in 2003. The bugger showed its ugly head once again, this time stage 2, I had surgery to remove what they could, went on Taxol and Carbonplatin for 6 treatment, pretty awful lost hair , felt really awful, hard time focusng ect but came away with good number ect…off it for a couple of months had a cat scan and there it was growing again to a stage three, more surgery and LOTS of rice like stuff growing and not able to be removed. At this point and several 2nd, 3rd opinions, I went on Doxcil, this took about 4 treatment to kick in and some nasty side effects, but it did kick in and I%26#039;ve been on it now for a little over 2 years, We had to lower the dose a little to manage the side effects but IT IS WORKING. After all this time on it I know the things to stay away from , to eat , drink to manage the side effects which are now minimal. I have an infusion every three weeks, I%26#039;m able to work full time, thanks God because my insurance is fabulous. We tried to stretch the treatments to every 6 weeks but my numbers (CA 125) started to rise so we went back to evry three weeks, and I%26#039;ve now had three , three week treatments , my CA 125 done today in hope that in starts to go back down. Life for me is good and Doxcil is my answer for now, I have to have a MUGGA test for my heart every other treatment , that is the biggy , the biggest side effect is congestive heart failure, for me so far so good. One of my best friends was also DX in 2003, she did, Taxol and Carbonplatin and soon afer the treatment changes occured for more treament, she then did an abdominal lavage type treatment, I always thought that would be my answer but I was not a candidate, she got VERY ill and had to come off that almost immediatley, then she trie Toppotecan(sp?) again very ill, she then went on Doxcil but was not able to handle the side effects, ended up having an Open Gallbladder excision, and was not able to bounce back after that, open gallbladders are pretty lengthy painful surgery and with her only having the one treatment of Doxcil and having to wait after her surgery, things just took over and she passed away Sept. 25 2005…Very sad. I feel I%26#039;ve been so blessed because I%26#039;ve been able to stay on the treatment and tough out the side effects, not an easy thing sometimes. Please have hope, pray,be good to other people,be good to yourself.I had such a hard time accepting help from the people around me, they want to help you, let them, I hope you have a good support system. I hope this is a positive memo for you, my life is very good, very tolerable. I try VERY hard NOT to think about it until it is time for my cat scan (every 3 weeks) then I%26#039;m like a cat on a hot tin roof, anxious

scared and ever so grateful when the result are unchanged, shrinking would be better but unchanged is great….Good luck to you Jacki|||ask the doc!|||I personally don%26#039;t think there is a cure for cancer, member of my family has just been admitted to a hospice, but has had medication for a few years now. It seems to clear but just comes back.. I hope and prey that one day there will be a cure as the same for Aids, You can Google the word cancer, quiet alot of info there.|||well my friend had it last year and after her hystorectomy and ovarys being removed and then chemo she is brand new again babes it just depends on a lot of factors ie if its spread i hope and pray you have caught it in time and i think you have a reay good chance

god bless and see ou doc dont listen to some of the weirdos on here angel xx|||It can be but normally it will come back after a few years, after surgery and chemo. I am one of those people I am a 3c, i had my surgery on March 3rd 2006 and just finished the chemo a couple of months back. It was a rough 6 months but I am enjoying every moment of my life for today, I will worry about it when it comes back but for today I will live and be as happy as I can be! If you are refering to you please hang in there be happy cancer responds to stress and worry. Live for today and love your kids, Friends and of course your god|||i dont know, i had stage 1, fingers crossed it is x|||I know that you%26#039;re probably clutching at straws and looking for optimism, but the reality of ovarian cancer is that it is one of the most difficult types to diagnose and that unless detected very early on it is unlikely to have a good outcome.

Stage 3 unfortunately is not early detection, and my sister died within a year of diagnosis despite several operations and courses of treatment.

I am genuinely sorry for the situation you find yourself in and apologise for being brutal……..Pit Bull really is only a pet name.

God bless.

what is the age range for this illness or can it affect anyone..and also if you were diagnosed or have a family member of friend that was diagnosed please could you give as much detail.. what thier symptoms were and how long it took for diagnosis? thanks you so much x|||Ovarian cancer is a disease in which malignant cells are found in an ovary. There are three types of ovarian tumors, named for the tissue in which they are found:

epithelial cell - cells that cover the surface of the ovary

(Most of these tumors are benign. However, epithelial ovarian cancer accounts for 85 to 90 percent of ovarian cancer cases)

germ cell - cells that form the eggs in the ovary

stromal cell - cells that form the ovary and produce female hormones

The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, but there are certain risk factors that indicate an increase in a woman%26#039;s chance of developing ovarian cancer.

The following have been suggested as risk factors for ovarian cancer:

+ starting monthly periods early - before the age of 12

late menopause

+ long-term estrogen replacement therapy

+ infertility

+ having a first child after the age of 30

+ history of breast cancer

+ family history

+ fertility drugs

The following are the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

general discomfort in the lower abdomen, including any/all of the following:

- feeling swollen or bloated

- a loss of appetite or a feeling of fullness - even after a light meal

- gas, indigestion, and nausea

+ weight loss

+ diarrhea or constipation, or frequent urination caused by the growing tumor, which may press on nearby organs, such as the bowel or bladder

+ bleeding from the vagina

+ build up of fluid around the lungs, which may cause shortness of breath.

In many cases, symptoms may be so vague that they are easily ignored. The symptoms of ovarian cancer may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Consult a physician for diagnosis.

Diagnosis includes a medical history and physical exam, including a pelvic exam to feel the vagina, rectum, and lower abdomen for masses or growths. A Pap test may be requested as part of the pelvic exam. The physician may also order other tests, including:

+ ultrasound - an imaging technique that uses sound waves to produce an image on a monitor of the abdominal organs, such as the uterus, liver, and kidneys.

+ computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) - a non-invasive procedure that takes cross-sectional images of the brain or other internal organs; to detect any abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary x-ray. The CT scan may indicate enlarged lymph nodes - a possible sign of a spreading cancer or of an infection.

+ lower gastrointestinal (GI) series - x-rays of the colon and rectum using a contrast dye called barium.

+ intravenous pyelogram (IVP) - x-ray of the kidneys and ureters, taken after the injection of a dye.

+ blood test - to measure a substance in the blood called CA-125 - a tumor marker.

+ biopsy - removal of sample of tissue via a hollow needle or scalpel.

Ovarian cancer may be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these, called adjuvant therapy.

Good luck - Happy x%26#039;mas|||http://www.medicinenet.com/ovarian_cance…|||The bad thing about ovarian cancer is that there are no real definite symptoms. Usually by the time you have symptoms, it is too late.

You might have bloating, pelvic pain, non-specific full feeling in the lower abdomen. MOST women don%26#039;t have any symptoms. There is no bleeding or anything to give you the clue.

Tests include a pelvic ultrasound and a CA125 blood test. If you are concerned, ask for these. You have a good chance at survival if detected early!!!!!!!!!!

Family history is a big predictor. Any women with breast or ovarian cancer in the family? IF so get tested for it.

It can happen any age, peak age is more old, around 50ish, but you can get it in your 20s or 30s, though less common at a young age.

Diagnosis is tricky. You often can%26#039;t tell on a pelvic exam. If you do have gas, or bloating, nobody is going to think, %26quot;oh, it is probably due to ovarian cancer%26quot; so it is likely to have a delayed diagnosis. I mean, think of everyone who has bloating. That would be 90% of women. Are you going to test everyone? The tests aren%26#039;t 100% accurate anyhow. It is a tricky diagnosis, and there IS NO GOOD SCREENING TEST.

I know this is not what you want to hear. It is true. If you have reason to fear ovarian cancer, get the ultrasound and the ca125 test.

(I am a doc)|||I worked with a woman who went for her yearly pap in Oct. and all was clear. By mid Nov she started to have swelling in her abdomen and diarrhea. This mostly came after she ate and would need to undo the button on her pants (slim woman) and she was also in her early 60%26#039;s.

I%26#039;m sure there are many different or none at all symptoms that people do or don%26#039;t go through.|||Can affect any age,

Sadly by the time symptoms are apparent the cancer is quite advanced………….hence it being called the silent killer.

I f you have a family history or are worried then you should go see a Dr and ask for investigations, if you have family history then any good Dr will do this for you, if nothing else it would give you peace of mind.|||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 female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer is a disease in which normal ovarian cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled, abnormal manner and produce tumors in one or both ovaries.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific and mimic those of many other more common conditions, including digestive and bladder disorders. It isn%26#039;t unusual for a woman with ovarian cancer to be diagnosed with another condition before finally learning she has cancer. The key seems to be persistent or worsening signs and symptoms. With most digestive disorders, symptoms tend to come and go, or they occur in certain situations or after eating certain foods. With ovarian cancer, there%26#039;s typically little fluctuation — symptoms are constant and gradually worsen.

Recent studies have shown that women with ovarian cancer are more likely than are other women to consistently experience the following symptoms:

* Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating

* Urinary urgency

* Pelvic discomfort or pain

Additional signs and symptoms that women with ovarian cancer may experience include:

* Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea

* Unexplained changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation

* Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate

* Loss of appetite

* Unexplained weight loss or gain

* Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist

* Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)

* A persistent lack of energy

* Low back pain

Doctors can usually diagnose ovarian cancer within three months of women first noticing symptoms, but sometimes it may take six months or longer before a diagnosis can be made.-|||http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertyp…

everything you need to know is here

and blood in the urine, with stage one, can stage one be treated without surgery? becasue I HATE operations and I HATE hospitals with a passion. I will not get chemotherapy, I just want to know if it can be treated with just drugs without side affects. Any advice, because I sure need it.|||Nope, you%26#039;ll have to have it out. You can%26#039;t have your cake and eat it, too, hon—-cancer doesn%26#039;t just go away with easy drugs and good nutrition. You%26#039;ll need either surgery or powerful medications with powerful side effects to get rid of it. Just be grateful they caught it in stage one, as that very rarely happens. Usually it%26#039;s caught much later, and the prognosis is VERY bad then.

You%26#039;re going to have to become a lot tougher than you ever thought you%26#039;d have to be. Talk to your family, your friends, and your doctors—your current attitude is understandable, but wildly inappropriate for what you%26#039;re facing. You need to get them to help you understand what%26#039;s going on with your body. Good luck, girl, start taking this seriously!|||surgery is the primary treatment of all ovarian cancers

u have to know how far it has spread…

and remove the cancer

and if its early enough u can take only part of ovarey out….

the role of drugs is only to prevent spread and after surgery…

so also radiation

I want the detail answer about my question with book reference because i will attach in my thesis|||Try Vitamin C therapy. A few years ago a cancer specialist came out with a paper that said the best cancer/infection fighter found to date was Interferon. At the time it was $15,000 a gram. The paper also said that Interferon was a by-product of the natural breakdown of Vitamin C in your body. Shortly after that the FDA tried to make Vitamin C by prescription only. Guess why? The FDA has the RDA for Vitamin C set at 64 mg a day, just enough to ward off scurvy. Linus Pauling, who got a Nobel Prize for his work with Vitamin C and a second Nobel Prize for Organic Chemistry, said that 1000 mg a day should be the minimum and 2000 mg a day if you are sick or smoke. He played tennis almost daily until the day he died at 96. Personally, I got sick twice a year for 2 weeks at a time, for more than 20 years, with something to this day the doctors have no idea what it was, but for a week in the middle of those 2 weeks I was flat on my back. I started Vitamin C therapy once I gave up on the doctors. I took enough to be asymptomatic for those 2 weeks. Too much and I got diarrhea and too little and I got sick. Within a narrow range, and it followed a bell curve over those 2 weeks, I was not sick. At the height I was taking 40,000 mg a day and 300,000 over the 2 weeks. After 2 years of that I have not been sick since – more than 15 years. Vitamin C acts as a natural diuretic so you need to drink a lot of water and watch your body in total, but my kidneys did not dissolve as the doctors predicted, or get massive kidney stones as other predicted. I did not dissolve my bones as some predicted or completely calcify my joints as others predicted. I had no side effects at all. It might be something to consider.

With any cancer that is linked directly to a woman%26#039;s hormones you have to be very careful. First the treatment to get her into remission could have both saved her life and robbed her of fertility. Also sometimes pregnancy can actually be harmful because of the stimulated hormones involved. Please dont get upset before talking to her and her Dr about your options.|||Radiation? Do you mean her cancer is in remission?

While you should go to the doctors and find out for sure, I would probably say no. Cancer damages the cells around it as it grows out of control, but it may be possible, depending on the extent of damages.|||well i dont have an answer 4 you, but i wonna say pray and have faith! because it ain%26#039;t no problem god can%26#039;t handle! i wish u guys the best and good luck.|||If her cancer is in remission, then yes she can get pregnant. I had it and it did not effect my chances. She should speak to her OBYN, though, since every woman is different.

The depo shot on the other hand, did effect my chances for a while.

My laptop is always sitting in my lap and I%26#039;ve begun to worry about the effect of radiation on my stomach/ovary area. Have I harmed myself by putting my laptop in my lap?|||Laptops don%26#039;t have radiation.|||I%26#039;ve never heard of this, but you may have something. Cell phones, microwave and the tv supposedly cause cancer.|||I have not heard that. However my computer professor told us that men have a decreased sperm count from a laptop on the lap.|||I wouldn%26#039;t think so. Your laptop does not emit any kind of energy (other than heat energy) that could cause this kind of damage in your cells. I think you are just fine. As for lowered sperm count in men as one other poster suggested, it is from the heat that they produce. Those things get HOT!

Ugh. Another edit. As for one posters comment on %26quot;optical radiation%26quot;. Um, that%26#039;s not a real thing.

Laurel F%26#039;s answer is really good, and informative.|||I wouldn%26#039;t put it there. I recently saw a segment on the nightly news, that men can get testicular cancer from doing so.|||The lap top gives off optical radiation from the screen which would affect your eyes. But in reverse it gives off magnetic radiation which can actually reduce your chances of cancer according to some doctors magnetic radiation is a form of treatment for some cancers. But you can also ask a doctor who would know a little more about this than me. Preferably an OB-GYN.|||First, I would be far more concerned about your cell phone—get an earpiece!

If you are that worried, do what I did…go to Target and spend $15 on a lap desk which will keep if off of your skin.

Also…you can really screw up your laptop if the vents get blocked which happens a lot on the couch, bed, etc., with soft fabrics moving around. A lap desk will create a hard, even surface which allows for ventilation.|||The laptop doesn%26#039;t produce enough radiation to cause cancer. It%26#039;s not the additive effects of radiation that really matter but the magnitude of dose received as a single exposure. Hope it answers your question.

Generally the disease of cancer of any part of the body comes without any advance intimation to us. So in our own interest we should have Cancer detection test done to ensure there is no cancer in the body. Now about Ovarian cancer -

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 female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer is a disease in which normal ovarian cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled, abnormal manner and produce tumors in one or both ovaries.

The chances of surviving ovarian cancer are better if the cancer is found early. But because the disease is difficult to detect in its early stage, only about 20 percent of ovarian cancers are found before tumor growth has spread into adjacent tissues and organs beyond the ovaries. Most of the time, the disease has already advanced before it%26#039;s diagnosed.

You have to actually watch for the symptoms of the disease. They are -

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific and mimic those of many other more common conditions, including digestive and bladder disorders. It isn%26#039;t unusual for a woman with ovarian cancer to be diagnosed with another condition before finally learning she has cancer. The key seems to be persistent or worsening signs and symptoms. With most digestive disorders, symptoms tend to come and go, or they occur in certain situations or after eating certain foods. With ovarian cancer, there%26#039;s typically little fluctuation — symptoms are constant and gradually worsen.

Recent studies have shown that women with ovarian cancer are more likely than are other women to consistently experience the following symptoms:

* Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating

* Urinary urgency

* Pelvic discomfort or pain

Additional signs and symptoms that women with ovarian cancer may experience include:

* Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea

* Unexplained changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation

* Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate

* Loss of appetite

* Unexplained weight loss or gain

* Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist

* Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)

* A persistent lack of energy

* Low back pain

Doctors can usually diagnose ovarian cancer within three months of women first noticing symptoms, but sometimes it may take six months or longer before a diagnosis can be made.

You should have regular screening say once in an year for Cancer. Screening for a cancer means that you have no symptoms of the disease, and testing is done in an effort to find the disease in a very early, curable stage. The following tests will help you to detect the disease, if prevalent at early stage. -

-Pelvic examination.

-Ultrasound.

-CA 125 blood test.

-computerized tomography (CT) and

-Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -|||This is why ovarian cancer is so deadly, because it is not detected usually until it is very far advanced. A regular pap and pelvic exam does not detect ovarian cancer. Usually it is not found until a lady has symptoms, and by then it can be far along.|||Through the Ca 125 blood test. Mind you ovarian cancer is a very hidden disease which invariably doesn%26#039;t show up until a tumour has formed. Regular intra-vaginal scans which will look in detail at the ovaries and womb, etc., are a must.