The Deadliest of All Gynecological Cancers and Its Symptoms

The Women's Policy, Inc site, as part of their regular sourced newsletter, highlighted this legislation:

On August 3, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, a resolution supporting National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (S. Res. 555).

Sponsored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the resolution contains a number of findings, including:

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers;
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States;
More than 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, and more than 15,000 will die from it;
All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, and 90 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer do not have a family history that puts them at higher risk;
The Pap test is sensitive and specific to the early detection of cervical cancer, but not to ovarian cancer;
There is currently no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer;
There are factors that are known to reduce the risk for ovarian cancer and that play an important role in the prevention of the disease; and
Awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by women and health care providers can lead to a quicker diagnosis.

The resolution recognizes September 2010 as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and notes that “each year, during the month of September, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and its partner members holds a number of events to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer.”

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance has created a page on the symptoms of ovarian cancer:

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Bloating

Pelvic or abdominal pain

Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is a growth of abnormal malignant cells that begins in the ovaries (women’s reproductive glands that produce ova). Cancer that spreads to the ovaries but originates at another site is not considered ovarian cancer.

Ovarian tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Although abnormal, cells of benign tumors do not metastasize (spread to other parts of the body). Malignant cancer cells in the ovaries can metastasize in two ways:

directly to other organs in the pelvis and abdomen (the more common way)
through the bloodstream or lymph nodes to other parts of the body

While the causes of ovarian cancer are unknown, some theories exist:

Genetic errors may occur because of the repeated “wear and tear” of the monthly release of an egg.
Increased hormone levels before and during ovulation may stimulate the growth of abnormal cells.

For more specific information about the different types of ovarian cancer, see the American Cancer Society’s detailed guide: click here.

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