Posts Tagged ‘discovered and treated ovarian cancer’
Patient Survival
Expectations Of Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in its early stages and is generally well advanced at the time of diagnosis, which often provides a poor prognosis. Approximately 76% of women with ovarian cancer survive one year after diagnosis.
About 45% live more than 5 years after diagnosis. If the diagnosis is made in the early stages of the disease and treatment is received before the cancer spreads outside the ovary, the survival rate at 5 years is about 94%. Complications:
- Cancer spreading to other organs
- Loss of organ function
- Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
- Intestinal obstruction
Calling your health care provider:
Make an appointment with your doctor if you are a woman over 40 years old who has not had a pelvic exam recently. Pap smears or Pap tests and pelvic examinations are routinely recommended for all women over age 20. Call your doctor if you have symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Surgery is the preferred treatment is often needed to diagnose ovarian cancer.
- Studies have shown that surgery performed by a specialist in gynecologic oncology resulted in a higher cure rate.
- Chemotherapy is used after surgery to treat any remaining disease can also be used if the cancer recurs.
- Radiation therapy is rarely used to treat ovarian cancer in the United States.
- After treatment, women are commonly monitored with CA-125 and CT scans.
Ovarian Cancer
The ovarian cancer usually occurs in women over 50 years, but can also affect younger women. The ovarian cancer is difficult to detect in advance.
In the earlier they are discovered and treated ovarian cancer, the better the chances of recovery. Many times, women with ovarian cancer have no symptoms or only mild symptoms until the disease is at an advanced stage and difficult to treat. Symptoms may include:
• Heavy feeling in pelvis
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• vaginal bleeding
• weight gain or loss
• Abnormal menstrual periods
• Back pain
• Gases, nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite
Treatment is usually surgical and is followed by treatment with medicines called chemotherapy.