Ovarian Cancer

The ovaries are the organs that produce a woman’s eggs. Like many other parts of the body, they are susceptible to cancer, a condition in which cells grow in an uncontrolled fashion.

It is relatively rare, accounting for about 3 percent of all cases of cancer in women. In general, your chances of getting ovarian cancer are 1 in 58 (compared to 1 in 7 for breast cancer), but the odds worsen as various risk factors are considered.

You shouldn’t worry about it – but you should be aware of it and take the steps to detect it at a stage when the chance of a cure is high. When this cancer is found early and in still in the ovaries, there’s a 90 to 95 percent chance the patient will survive five years. When it is detected at an advanced stage, the five-year survival rate drops to 18 percent.

It is most often found in women between the ages of 40 and 70 – and women between 50 and 59 are in the high-risk group – but it sometimes strikes women in their 20s. In fact, the Julie Merle Epstein Cancer Fund at UConn Health was created to honor the memory of Julie, a woman who died from ovarian cancer at the age of 28.

No. The Pap test detects cancer of the cervix, not cancer of the ovaries.

The best precaution is to have a complete pelvic exam done every year by a physician who is aware of your family and medical history. It is especially important for your doctor to be aware of any factors that place you at high risk for this disease.

The most important is a family history of ovarian cancer – a mother, sister, or grandmother who had it. A history of breast or colorectal cancer increases your risk, as does infertility or never having given birth to a living child. The use of birth control pills or having several children is associated with a lower risk for ovarian cancer.

The symptoms of ovarian caner are subtle. It is called the “disease that whispers,” meaning there are no obvious signs and symptoms until the disease has advanced. Then, the symptoms may be:

• Abdominal swelling, bloating
• Indigestion
• Vague but persistent gastrointestinal complaints
• Frequent urination
• Menstrual disorders such as abnormal bleeding or postmenopausal bleeding

Although researchers are trying to find ways to identify “tumor markers” (substances in the blood or urine that may reveal cancer before symptoms develop), there currently is no screening exam to detect this cancer in women without symptoms.

However, women at higher risk can take advantage of frequent screening tests, including transvaginal ultrasound of the ovaries and in some cases, blood tests. Counseling and prevention strategies for women at higher risk are available at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center.

If cancer is suspected, exploratory surgery may be done so the doctor can see the ovaries and take tissue samples. If tests of the samples reveal cancer, then appropriate surgery is the initial phase of treatment, after which chemotherapy may be used.

A woman with one or more of the following characteristics may be at above-average risk for ovarian cancer. She should make sure her physician is aware of her risk factors.

• Family history of ovarian cancer (mother, aunt, sister, grandmother)
• History of breast cancer or colorectal cancer
• Never having given birth to an infant who survived
• Infertility
• Increasing age
• Jewish ancestry

This resource was made possible through generous support from the Julie Merle Epstein Cancer Fund.