What Is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is cancer from a cancerous growth in the ovary. Most ovarian cancers are deemed as epithelial, which means they arise from the ovary surface, and account for over 90% of ovarian cancer. Other forms of the cancer develop from the egg cells. Ovarian cancer is in the gynaecologic cancer category.
There are around 7,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in the UK each year, and 2% of the British female population will develop it in their lifetime. Most cases (around 80%) arise in women over the age of 50. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women in the UK.
Usually the exact cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, but there are certain contributory risk factors.
These include: having never given birth, a family history of the disease, infertility, endometriosis (where the lining of the womb grows on the outside), smoking, and obesity. There are other factors too though, such as having gone through the menopause.
The signs of ovarian cancer vary and can be similar to symptoms of other more common illnesses and conditions. Signs can include: bloating, loss of appetite, lower stomach pain, needing to pass urine more frequently, changes to bowel habits, weight gain or loss, pain during intercourse, and fatigue.
The LOC performs private treatments for ovarian cancer by specialists in the field of gynaecological oncology, who help to form and implement the best course of treatment according to each individual case.