It is known as the number one killer of women's health; Once this cancer is found, it is in the late stage, and people roast that "early screening screened loneliness"; Many experts have turned pale when talking about it, and even raised questions about what to do with it. It is ovarian cancer. In recent years, the incidence rate of ovarian cancer has gradually increased, but because the ovary is located in the pelvic cavity and cannot be directly peeped, and there are no obvious symptoms at the early stage, and there is a lack of perfect early diagnosis and differentiation methods, once the symptoms appear, it is often a late disease. The efficacy of late stage lesions is poor, and the mortality rate ranks first among gynecological malignancies, hence it is called the "silent killer". So how can we have a correct understanding of this disease?
The ovary is a very important reproductive organ in women, with the function of secreting female estrogen and progesterone, and is also the organ that produces eggs. It is deeply hidden in the pelvic cavity, divided into left and right sides. The ovary is also the organ with the most types of tumors that can occur in the human body. Ovarian cancer refers to a malignant tumor originating from the ovaries, which has the highest mortality rate among all gynecological malignancies and poses a serious threat to women's health. Industry scholars commonly use three 70% descriptions of ovarian cancer, stating that "about 70% of patients are diagnosed in advanced stages, 70% of patients have a survival rate of less than 5 years, and 70% of patients relapse within 3 years after treatment", known as the "silent killer". Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie announced in the New York Times in 2015 that she had undergone ovarian and fallopian tube removal surgery to prevent early signs of ovarian cancer, after announcing the removal of both breasts to combat cancer in 2013.
Most ovarian cancers are sporadic, with hereditary ovarian cancer accounting for approximately 15% of all ovarian cancer patients. The average age of onset for patients with hereditary ovarian cancer is earlier than that of patients with sporadic ovarian cancer, and they often carry mutations in the BRCA gene (breast cancer susceptibility gene), which increases the risk of developing other malignant tumors. Epidemiological data shows that women without germline BRCA gene mutations have a lifetime risk of ovarian cancer of 1% to 2%, while women with BRCA2 mutations have a lifetime risk of 11% to 17%, and women with BRCA1 mutations have a lifetime risk of 21% to 51%. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct BRCA gene testing on high-risk populations.
Early ovarian cancer has no specific symptoms, and the following abnormalities should be alerted: ① Long term infertility with the use of ovulation inducing drugs; Personal history of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and family history of ovarian cancer ② BRCA gene positive expression ③ Ovarian cancer triad: 40-60 years old, ovarian dysfunction, gastrointestinal symptoms.
Late stage symptoms: abdominal distension - mass, ascites; Abdominal pain - when the tumor twists, ruptures, bleeds, or becomes infected; Lower back pain, lower limb pain - tumor compression or invasion of local nerves; Lower limb edema - tumor compression or invasion of iliac vessels; Vaginal bleeding - germ cell tumors; Anemia, emaciation - late stage.
The early clinical symptoms of ovarian cancer are not obvious, and about 15% of ovarian cancer can be diagnosed early. Ovarian cancer can be detected early through ovarian cancer screening, and commonly used detection methods include vaginal ultrasound testing, serum CA15 testing, etc. If detected early, surgical resection treatment can be performed, which requires open surgery to remove the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and uterus together, and may also require the removal of pelvic lymph nodes for corresponding adjuvant therapy after surgery. After early detection and treatment, the prognosis is relatively good, and the 5-year survival rate can reach 70% -90%. Late stage patients mainly receive comprehensive treatment such as chemotherapy and targeted therapy, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 40%. So, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are the key to improving the survival rate of ovarian cancer patients.