My mother died on January 1, 2009 of ovarian cancer

My mother was a beautiful, strong, loving soul taken from her family and friends way too soon. I am starting this blog because too many woman have passed due the extreme difficulty of detecting this horrible disease early enough to treat in some cases. The early symptoms can be diagnosed as many other things, in my mother's case it was diagnosed as congestive heart failure and the actual cancer was not found until 6 months later in the month prior to her death. I will always wonder if there had been a better method to detect the cancer if she would still be here.

There are so few ways to diagnose this cancer. While making sure you get your Pap scheduled is a good way to detect cervical cancer, ovarian cancer will not show up on this screening. The genetic marker for ovarian cancer can be detected via a CA-125. As of right now this is the extent of my knowledge. I have been sad and upset for these past few years and now I think it is time to get more educated. I am going to share my new findings on this blog.

So, today I started to do some research and through the website http://www.ovarian.org I have found that doing the following would help in early detection of ovarian cancer:

1) Annual vaginal exams for all woman over the age of 18. Rectovaginal exams for woman over 35: The physician inserts digits into rectum and vagina at that same time to check for abnormal swelling and/tenderness.
2) Transvaginal sonography for woman at high risk: (Those with more than 1 primary relative with ovarian cancer or rectal cancer. Also, those who have an increased amount of the cancer marker CA-125; this test works better in postmenopausal woman than in premenopausal woman.)


Doing the following could help decrease the risk of ovarian cancer:

1) Taking oral contraceptives for a period of at least 3 years lowers your risk by a factor of 30-50%.

2) According to the American Cancer Society, eating right, being active, and maintaining a healthy weight are important ways to reduce your risk of cancer as well as other diseases. For the American Cancer Society's healthy living recommendations, please visit the cancer.org website.

3) The removal of one’s ovaries eliminates the risk for ovarian cancer, but not the risk for a less common cancer called Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma. Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma is closely rated to epithelial ovarian cancer (most common type). It develops in cells from the peritoneum (abdominal lining) and looks the same under a microscope. It is similar in symptoms, spread and treatment.

Is CA-125 an effective screening test for ovarian cancer?

"The CA125 blood test is used to measure the level of the protein CA-125. Elevated levels of CA125 are often in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of women with ovarian cancer. Overall, more than 80 percent of women with advanced ovarian cancer will have an elevated CA125 level (greater than 35 u/ml), yet the test is not useful in detecting early stage disease (approximately 50% accurate). Unfortunately CA125 is even less reliable for detecting cancer in pre-menopausal women since it is frequently elevated by non-cancerous conditions such as pregnancy, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, liver disease, and benign ovarian cysts. Most gynecologic oncologists employ CA125 for surveillance of ovarian cancer after the diagnosis has been surgically confirmed since it is a sensitive indicator of persistent or recurrent disease."

So are the symptoms of ovarian cancer silent?

While the symptoms of ovarian cancer (particularly in the early stages) are often not acute or intense, they are not silent. These are some of the potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer: Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss; pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness; Ongoing unusual fatigue; Unexplained changes in bowel habits.

How many woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer die from ovarian cancer?

What is the general outlook for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer?

In women age 35-74, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. An estimated one woman in 58 will develop ovarian cancer during her lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009, there will be 21,550 new cases of ovarian cancer and 14,600 women will die from ovarian cancer.

When one is diagnosed and treated in the earliest stages, the 5-year survival rate is over 90%. Due to ovarian cancer's non-specific symptoms and lack of early detection tests, only 19% of all cases are found at this early stage. If caught in stage III or higher, the survival rate can be as low as 30.6%. Due to the nature of the disease, each woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has a different profile and it is impossible to provide a general prognosis.

Source: American Cancer Society