Ovarian cancer symptoms, stages and treatments

Ovarian cancer is a predominantly destructive cancer and is rarely detected in its early stages. It is the gynecological cancer with the highest mortality rate. Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women after lung, breast, and colorectal cancer. One reason ovarian cancer is so deadly is because it is very difficult to detect. Often, by the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

The mortality rate for ovarian cancer patients is not very good. Ovarian cancer is responsible for 5% of all cancer deaths among women. In the last five-years, mortality rates decreased from 63% in 1974 to lesser than 50% currently. Mortality rates differ depending on age and the stage at which detected. This is largely due to the trouble of diagnosing. Ovarian cancer can only be diagnosed for certain, with invasive surgery. Unfortunately, most patients with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced. This involves spreading of the disease to the upper abdomen.

There are four specific stages of ovarian cancer. Knowing these stages will help you to determine what your treatment options are and what symptoms to look. By the stage of a cancer we try to express how far the disease has spread. It is crucial, as treatment is mostly decided depending on the stage of a cancer.

Stage one is when the cancer is limited to the ovaries only. Within this there are three stages. In stage 1A, the cancer is confined to one ovary, while in 1B the cancer is present in both ovaries. And 1C is with tumors on either one or both ovaries and a tumor on the surface.

Stage two, cancer has grown outside the ovary or ovaries, but it is inside the pelvis. Stage 2A is when the cancer has extended to the uterus and/or the tubes, 2B is when the cancer has extended to the pelvic tissues and 2C is a tumor with a ruptured capsule that contains malignant cells.

Stage three, cancer has spread outside the pelvis into the abdominal cavity. Liver metastasis can equal stage three ovarian cancers. It is also stage III if cancer is found in the lymph nodes in the upper abdomen, groin or behind the womb. Stage 3A is when the cancer is limited to the pelvis but microscopic examination shows seeding in the abdominal cavity. While in 3B, small tumor growths are found on the lining of the abdomen. In 3C, tumor growths larger than 2 cm are found on the lining of the abdomen; the lymph nodes in the upper abdomen, groin or behind the womb contain cancer.

Stage four, the most advanced of all, means the cancer has spread into other body organs such as the liver or lungs. Stage 4A is an extension of metastasis to the uterus and/or the tube, 4B is an extension to the pelvic tissues and 3C is a ruptured capsule with malignant cells.

Research shows that with ovarian cancer it is no different with other types of cancer, in fact studies shows you can drastically reduce your risks by slightly altering your diet. Women who develop a dietary strategy for reducing cancer can also reduce their risk of ovarian cancer. Most cancer research and even the American Cancer Society do suggest eating an assortment of healthy foods. Diets, which are high in vegetables, are recommended by nearly all studies and researchers. Woman who eat five helpings of fruits and vegetables each day seem to reduce their risks of all cancers by 50% and ovarian cancer is included in those reduced risks.