Ovarian Cancer Treatment in India: A woman's lifetime risk of dying from ovarian cancer is 2.1 per cent.

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries - each about the size of an almond - produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen, progesterone. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is difficult to treat and is often fatal. 

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is difficult to treat and is often fatal.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are not specific to the disease, and they often mimic those of many other more-common conditions, including digestive and bladder problems. When ovarian cancer symptoms are present, they tend to be persistent and worsen with time.

Ovarian Cancer  Treatment in India: A woman's lifetime risk of dying from ovarian cancer is 2.1 per cent.

It is one of the most common cancers in women after breast and cervix cancer. It is called a 'silent killer' as it is asymptomatic in early stages and 85 per cent of cases are diagnosed in the advanced stage. A woman's lifetime risk of dying from ovarian cancer is 2.1 percent.

What constitutes ovarian cancer?

It largely means tumours of epithelial origin, but it can also arise from other elements namely germ cells and stroma. Epithelial ovarian cancers typically occur in postmenopausal women and are in advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, whereas germ cell tumours occur at a young age, are detected in the early stages and are completely curable.

How is it diagnosed?

• Exploratory Surgery : This surgery is performed for confirming the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
• Ultrasound : High-frequency sound waves are produced in order to get precise images of the structures inside the body.
• Blood Tests : CA 125 blood test is performed for those women who are suspected of having ovarian cancer or previously had ovarian cancer. This blood test helps in detecting a protein antigen that can be found at abnormally high levels in the blood serum of those women who have ovarian cancer.
• Positron Emission Tomographic Scan (PET) : This test helps in defining those areas that altered blood supply and also helps in identifying cancer.
• Upper G.I. and Lower G.I. Scopy : It helps in ruling out the primary cancer present in G.I. tract.
• CT scan :This helps in generating two dimensional images of the body that may show whether the cancer has spread.
• Mammography : Metastatic tumors can be ruled out with this test.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) : Magnetic energy is used for generating highly detailed images of the anatomy such as tumors.

Are all ovarian masses cancers?

All masses in the ovary are not cancers. TVU helps distinguish benign from malignant ovarian cysts. Complex cysts, defined as cysts with both solid and cystic components, septations and echogenicity, are malignant and require exploration. In contrast simple cysts that are thin walled, less than 5-10 cm and without septations are usually benign.

Can we detect  early?

Screening for ovarian cancer has not been successful as natural history of ovarian cancer is not well understood. There is no well-defined precursor lesion and the length of time from localised tumour to dissemination is unknown. Multiple efforts are underway to develop effective screening methods. Pelvic examination, CA 125, and TVU with Doppler are studied as screening methods in high-risk individuals.

Is ovarian cancer genetic?

Around 5-10 per cent of patients carry germline mutation. Breast-ovarian cancer syndrome accounts for approximately 90 per cent of hereditary ovarian cancer and is suspected whenever there are multiple affected family members with , bilateral or early onset breast cancer, both breast and ovarian cancer in the same individual, or a male relative with breast cancer.

What are the treatment of Ovarian Cancer modalities?

Ovarian Cancer Treatment depends on the age, stage, tumour type and the desire to preserve fertility. Surgery and chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment.

How do I prevent?

Chemoprevention is by oral contraceptives. Surgical prevention is by bilateral oophorectomy, tubal ligation and hysterectomy. Risk-reducing bilateral  oophorectomy is strongly recommended in women who carry germline mutation for hereditary ovarian cancer, because of high mortality of ovarian cancer and lack of effective screening and preventive approaches. 

Fortunately, risk of ovarian cancer does not rise dramatically until the late 30s in women with germline mutation, so women have the opportunity to complete their family prior to surgery. Since ovarian cancer is one of the common cancers in women and there are no effective population screening methods, high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis. With the new trends in chemotherapy, survival is increasing in ovarian cancer patients and awareness is necessary among the public for seeking early medical attention.

Latest and Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery for Ovarian Cancer in India

Indian Hospitals gives women with ovarian cancer access to the latest in cancer treatment. For example, Indian surgeons use fertility-sparing surgery, minimally and robotic surgery in select cases, when app minimally invasive surgery — also called laparoscopic surgery — for several conditions. In minimally invasive procedures, your doctor makes one or more incisions, each about a half-inch long, to insert a tube. The number of incisions depends on the type of surgery. The tube or tubes let the doctor slip in tiny video cameras and specially designed surgical instruments to perform the procedure.

When you have minimally invasive surgery, you're likely to lose less blood and have less postoperative pain, fewer and smaller scars, and a faster recovery than you would after open surgery. Depending on your condition, you may need only a short hospital stay. For some conditions, your doctor may recommend robotic surgery. That technology gives your doctor great precision, flexibility and control by providing a magnified, 3-D view of the surgical site.

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