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Ovarian Cancer / Cancer of Ovary

Ovarian Cancer - Overview

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Ovarian cancer affects both the ovaries and is referred to as the 'silent killer' as the symptoms go unnoticed until the disease advances.

Ovarian cancer is a disease in which there is rapid division and growth of cells in one or both the ovaries. It is also known as the 'silent killer' because most often the symptoms go unnoticed until the disease advances. It is the fifth most common cancer in women and affects the ovaries, which are the female reproductive organs that produces the ova or the egg. Ovaries also secrete the sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone and are two in number. They are located within the pelvic region on either side of the uterus.

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Ovarian cancer is responsible for 5% of the total cancer deaths among women. Early detection of ovarian cancer increases the woman's chances of survival. Other factors that affect the survival rates are age, stage of cancer, and tissue type.

The ovaries contain cells which multiply to maintain tissue health, but when the growth control is lost, cells divide faster resulting in a cellular mass or tumor. If it does not invade the surrounding tissue and is confined to a few layers then it is a benign tumor. On the other hand if the tumor spreads to surrounding tissues and organs, it is considered malignant.

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If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
Posted by:  borany  Posted on: 06/22/2010
Dear Doctor,

I have an ovarian cyst in the right side which is 3.8cm and my doctor could not tell me clearly what to do. Can you please tell me if it is serious and should I be operated upon?



Posted by:  gonu1972  Posted on: 06/16/2009
post surgery for fallopion tube cancerin dec2007my mother inlaw had chemo and had it come again within three months had another round of chemo has been stable since last may2008 now experiensing IBMpain in abdomen fullness ,depression fatigue,bloating,constipation.whats happening.how do i help .help me please.



Posted by:  Ashim  Posted on: 02/16/2009
Dear Trigger,

Pl. check with the doctor why they are not giving her some chemotherapy before the surgery , which kills some of the cancerous cells & prevents its spreading during surgery.

One of the effective treatment schedules is chemotherapy - surgery - chemotherapy (again).

Ashim



Posted by:  Trigger33(Guest)  Posted on: 02/09/2009
My wife has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She is to go for surgery this week. She has a cyst the size of two softballs streching from hip to hip. I am trying to learn what I can about this to help her in any way I can. Since this is known as the silent killer for women over 45, you should make sure your doctor checks you for this to. She would not have even known about it without the catscan of with and without conrtrast. If anyone has info on this, please post so I can learn more about this. Thank you.




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