Ovarian Cancer Health Article

Definition

Ovarian cancer is a disease in which the cells in the ovaries become abnormal, start to grow uncontrollably, and form tumors. Ninety percent of all ovarian cancers

develop in the cells that line the surface of the ovaries and are called epithelial cell tumors.

Description

The ovaries are a pair of almond-shaped organs that lie in the pelvis on either side of the uterus. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus. The ovaries produce and release usually one egg each month during the menstrual cycle. Along with the adrenal gland, the ovaries also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, which regulate and maintain the secondary female sexual characteristics.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women in the United States. It accounts for 4% of all cancers in women. However, the death rate due to this cancer is higher than that of any other cancer among women. About 1 in 70 women in the United States will eventually develop ovarian cancer, and 1 in 100 will die from it. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 25,400 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2003, and that 14,300 women will die from the disease.

Ovarian cancer can develop at any age, but more than half the cases occur among women who are 65 years old or older. The incidence of the disease is highest among Native American women, followed by Caucasian, Vietnamese, Hispanic, and Hawaiian women. Only 50% of the women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive five years after initial diagnosis. This low survival rate is because at the time of initial diagnosis, the cancer is usually in an advanced stage. It is difficult to diagnose ovarian cancer early because often there are no warning symptoms and the disease spreads relatively quickly. In addition, the ovaries are situated deep in the pelvis and small tumors can't be detected easily during a routine physical examination.