Ovarian Cancer

Introduction to Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in female reproductive organs and it mostly occurs in the most prosperous period of ovarian function. Its incidence rate ranks third which is second only to cervical and uterine cancer, but its mortality rate ranks first among the various female tumors, thus it threats seriously to women's life.

Symptoms of Early Ovarian Cancer

1. Edema of vulvae and lower limbs: with ovarian cancer enlarging, pelvic vein will be oppressed and that will result in poor blood flow and preventing return flow of lymph, so that edema of vulvae and lower limbs will be caused.

2. Scanty menstruation or menostasia: the majority of patients with ovarian cancer have no change in their menstruation, but with cancer enlarging, cancer cells will destroy the normal ovarian tissues, leading to ovarian dysfunction, and then scanty menstruation or menostasia will be caused.

3. Abdominal and low back pain: if adjacent tissues are infiltrated and adhered by ovarian cancer, it can easily cause vague and dull pain of low back and abdomen.

4. Abdominal distention and loss of appetite: if ovarian tumors oppress and pull surrounding ligaments, in addition to stimulation of ascites, similar symptoms of gastrointestinal disease will be caused.

5. Sex hormone disorders: when some tumors secrete excess estrogen, sexual precocity, menstrual disorders or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding can be caused; if it is testicular mother cells cancer, male characteristics will appear due to excessive androgens.

Symptoms of Advanced Ovarian Cancerer

1. Sense of abdominal distension: due to rapid growth of tumor, abdominal distention, abdominal lump and ascites can be developed within a short term. If tumor is small, it can be found only by pelvic examination, but with tumor gradually growing beyond the pelvic cavity, abdominal lump can be palpated.

2. Menstrual disorders and vaginal bleeding: if bilateral ovary cancer is damaged by cancer tissue, menstrual disorders and vaginal bleeding can be caused.

3. Compression symptoms: when tumor infiltrates surrounding tissues or compresses nerves, abdominal pain, low back pain and sciatica can be caused; if it compresses the pelvic veins, edema of lower limbs can appear; If tumor compresses bladder, frequent urination, dysuria, and urinary retention can be caused; If it compresses rectum, difficult defecation can occur; If it compresses gastrointestinal tract, digestive tract symptom can be caused; If tumor compresses diaphragm , dyspnea and inability to lie down can occur.

4. Dyscrasia: due to the rapid growth of tumor, malnutrition and physical emaciation can be developed, which results in formation of dyscrasia.

5. Metastases: pulmonary metastasis can result in dry cough, hemoptysis, pleural effusion; bone metastasis can cause localized severe pain; intestinal metastasis can cause hematochezia, in severe cases, it can result in intestinal obstruction.

Ovarian Cancer Screening Tests

1. Women who are unmarried or has late marriage, infertility, or not lactation;

2. Postmenopausal women over 50 years old;

3. Women who like eating high fat, high protein, and high calorie diet;

4. Women with family history of hereditary ovarian cancer, Breast cancer and non-polyposis colorectal cancer;

5. Women with sterility who use promoting ovulation drug.

Confusable Diseases with Ovarian Cancer

1. Non-neoplastic ovarian cysts: such as follicular cyst, corpus luteum cyst, etc, these diseases are generally smaller than 5cm in diameter, with thin wall, and mostly will wear off within 1 to 2 months.

2. Uterus myoma: ovarian tumors may confuse with cystic degeneration of uterus myoma or subserous uterus myoma. B ultrasound examination can make a clear diagnosis.

3. Early pregnancy: if uterus enlarges and softens, the history of menelipsis is positive, and HCG value rises, early pregnancy can be confirmed. B ultrasound can see the embryo sac or fetal heart beat.

4. Chronic urinary retention: mostly a history of dysuria or unfinished urination is positive, and mass locates in the midst of lower abdomen, its edge is not clear. The mass will vanish after undergoing catheterization. B ultrasound examination is also can be used to identify.

5. Inflammatory mass in annex: the history of chronic pelvic inflammation and infertility are positive. Mass locates in a lower position and is painful when touched as well as adhering to uterus.

Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou owns an excellent expert team specializing in ovarian cancer, gathers the wisdom of experts to design treatment plan for you in accordance with the symptoms of ovarian cancer, herein your condition will get controlled and treated.

Treatment Technique of Ovarian Cancer

PET/CT

Cryotherapy

Biological therapy

Stem-cell therapy

Interventional therapy

Green chemotherapy

Radiofrequency ablation

Photodynamic therapy

Photon knife

Gene target therapy

Double RF hyperthermia

125I particle implantation

We believe that the treatment is not just on the ovarian tumor, also includes nutrition improvement of your body and psychological counseling, etc. Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou provides mental health counseling, physical function conditioning, and rehabilitation therapy as well as information services on ovarian cancer.