Ovarian Cancer Treatment Chicagoland
Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women, not including skin cancer. It is difficult to diagnose, but treatment is available. Ovarian cancer is a serious concern — especially for women older than 55. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within pelvis and abdomen. Ovarian cancer is difficult to treat and often fatal when it is in a late stage.
What Is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is type of cancer that begins in women’s ovaries. Ovaries are two almond-shaped glands located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and release eggs during a woman’s reproductive years (the time from her first menstrual period through menopause). There often no symptoms but ovarian cancer warning signs are nausea and bloating, pelvic pain, frequent urination, vaginal bleeding
Are there different types of Ovarian Cancer?
There are more than 30 types of ovarian cancer. They are grouped into three categories based on where they begin growing in the ovary:
- Epithelial ovarian cancer originates in the layer of cells that cover the ovary and the entire abdominal cavity. This is the most common type of ovarian cancer, accounting for roughly 90 percent of all cases
- Germ ovarian cancer begins in the egg-producing cells inside the ovaries. Teens and women in their 20s are more likely to have germ cell ovarian cancer
- Sex Cord-Stromal ovarian cancer originates in the connective tissue of the ovaries, which also produces the female sex hormones
All three types of ovarian cancer may also spread to other areas of the body, referred to as metastatic ovarian cancer
What Are the Treatments for Ovarian Cancer?
The treatments are:
- Drug Therapy
- Radiation Therapy
- Hormone Therapy
- Nutrition Therapy