The ovary is located deep in the pelvic cavity and is known as the “secret garden” of women. Although it is only a small space, it has superior energy and controls the appearance and vitality of women. It is the most important thing for every woman. one of the organs. Once the ovaries are disobedient, the consequences are very serious.
In the West, there is a saying among gynecologists that if “cancer” is one of the most terrifying words in the English language, for most women, “ovarian cancer” is The worst attributive.
Because it is not easily detected, ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among all gynecological tumors, making it the king of gynecological cancers. According to statistics, more than 220,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, and the number of deaths is as high as 140,000.
According to the data of “2015 China Cancer Statistics” [1] in the internationally renowned academic journal “CA J CLIN”, the number of new cases of ovarian cancer was 52,100, the number of deaths was 22,500, and nearly In the past 10 years, the incidence of ovarian cancer in my country has increased by 30%, and the mortality rate has increased by 18%.
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First, 70% of patients with advanced stage are prone to relapse
A mutation in one gene, causes the prevalence to skyrocket.
It is the most difficult to diagnose of female reproductive system diseases and the most malignant of gynecological tumors.
Professor Lang Jinghe, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, once commented on ovarian cancer.
In an English textbook of “Ovarian Cancer”, there is such an illustration, one of the 70 little girls’ baby carriages is black, which means that , 1 in 70 newborn girls will experience ovarian cancer at some point in their lives.
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Although the incidence of ovarian cancer is not as high as that of cervical cancer, the mortality rate is far higher than that of cervical cancer. stage); about 70% of ovarian cancers cannot be cured, and the effect is very unsatisfactory; about 70% of ovarian cancers survive for less than 5 years [2].
In addition, there is a special BRCA gene associated with ovarian cancer, which is a human tumor suppressor gene associated with ovarian cancer. Once mutated, the body will lose its suppression. The function of tumorigenesis, leading to the proliferation of cancer cells.
“The incidence of ovarian cancer in the general population is only 1.4% (1/70), and if there are two immediate relatives of ovarian cancer in the family, the risk of developing cancer is 7%; if it is determined to carry the BRCA gene In a family with hereditary ovarian cancer, the chance of developing ovarian cancer will reach 50%.” Academician Lang Jinghe explained.
Second, there are methods for early screening
But only for high-risk groups!
More and more research results have demonstrated that “cancer is preventable and treatable”, and early screening is even more respected by scholars from all walks of life. But for ovarian cancer, if there are no high-risk factors, is cancer screening necessarily beneficial? Maybe not.
In 2018, a report published in the top medical journal “JAMA” (JAMA) gave a negative answer to the early screening of ovarian cancer: asymptomatic women do ovarian cancer Cancer screening is not only unhelpful, it can be harmful [3]!
In fact, for more than 20 years, the tumor marker CA125 test and transvaginal ultrasound have had high hopes as screening methods for ovarian cancer.
However, in the above report, the results of two clinical studies involving 202,546 and 68,557 people, respectively, showed that both CA125 testing and transvaginal ultrasound screening, whether used alone or in combination None of the investigation methods can reduce ovarian cancer mortality very well. In contrast, 3.5% of women experienced complications such as infection, wound rupture, myocardial infarction, and thrombosis after transvaginal ultrasound.
As a result, academic organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society have also issued statements that there is currently no effective screening method for early detection of ovarian cancer, and for women without clinical symptoms, no Ovarian cancer screening is recommended.
However, screening for ovarian cancer is necessary for women at high risk for ovarian cancer. For example:
Women with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, endometrial or colon cancer, etc. requiring further genetic counseling or evaluation;
Women known to carry ovarian cancer-related genetic mutations, such as BRCA1/2 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2, breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2) gene or Lynch syndrome Women with mutations in genes related to syndrome (mismatch repair-related genes).
The screening strategy for high-risk female populations is generally that women between the ages of 30 and 35 can begin receiving combined screening with transvaginal ultrasonography and serum CA125. [4]
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Third, don’t be careless with these warning signs of ovarian cancer
In addition, women with menstrual cycles less than 30 days, irregular menstrual periods and early age at menarche or increased ovulation, women with low or no childbirth, and women who are not breastfeeding, and the following Lifestyle: A high-fat diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and prolonged sitting also increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
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The following symptoms are recommended:
Bloating: This warning sign is the most common. Ovarian cancer secretes a large amount of ascites to prop up the stomach. This kind of abdominal distension is very fast. In one or two months or even only ten days, the belly will expand rapidly, and it can reach the appearance of pregnancy in October.
Stomach pain: This is another common warning sign. Frequent and recurring abdominal pain may be caused by ovarian cancer invading the abdominal organs and peritoneum. Generally speaking, the pain location is vague and not severe.
Easy to be full: generally manifested as eating less or no food, the stomach will feel full and do not want to eat. This is caused by the huge size of ovarian cancer, which compresses the gastrointestinal tract.
Frequent urination and urgency: Increased frequency of urination and frequent use of the toilet, which is related to ovarian cancer pressing on the bladder. In extreme cases, there is little or no urine, urinary retention or hydronephrosis, which is also caused by ovarian cancer pressing on the urethra or ureter.
If you have the above symptoms, it may also be due to other diseases, and you need to see a medical oncologist in time.
References:
[1] Chen WQ, Zheng RS, Baade PD, et al.Cancer statistic in China,2015[J],CA:A Cancer Journal for Clinicians,2016;
[2] 70% of ovarian cancers are found to have advanced genetic testing, allowing the “murderer” to appear early http:https://www.jksb.com.cn/index.php?m=wap&a =show&catid=216&id=108965&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
[3] Henderson JT, Webber EM, Sawaya GF. Screening for ovarian cancer: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force[J]. JAMA, 2018, 319( 6):595-606.
[4] NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology-Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian (2018 Version I)[DB/OL].
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