Ovarian cancer is a malignant neoplasm that originates from epithelial tissue. In most cases, the symptoms of the disease are mild. In this regard, most women go to a medical institution when the pathology is at a late stage of development and requires immediate surgical intervention. To prevent this, it is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor when the first alarming signs occur. The specialist will carry out diagnostic measures and, based on their results, will draw up the most effective treatment regimen for ovarian cancer.
Clinical picture
The disease can occur at any age. The pathogenesis of pathology is not fully understood, but it is known that genetic predisposition most often acts as a provoking factor.
Long time ailmentis asymptomatic. Most often, a tumor is detected during an ultrasound scan, prescribed for a completely different reason, or during a routine examination by a gynecologist.
Signs that should alert any woman:
- Drawing pain in the lower abdomen, moderate in intensity.
- Failure of the menstrual cycle.
- Permanent weakness.
- Dramatic weight loss.
These symptoms are not specific, but their presence is a good reason to visit a gynecologist. It is a mistake to write off these signs for PMS or the consequences of being in a state of stress.
Ignoring the warning symptoms leads to the fact that the process goes to a late stage of development. At this stage, the general condition is deteriorating significantly:
- Blood with various impurities is excreted from the genital tract.
- Belly increases significantly in size. This is due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
- The urge to urinate becomes very frequent.
- Evacuation of intestinal contents is disturbed.
- Women are worried about weakness, pain in the lower abdomen, dizziness.
Regardless of the severity of symptoms, ovarian cancer treatment should not be delayed. Lack of therapy and surgery can lead to death.
Degrees of severity
The disease goes through several stages of development:
- First. At this stage, women are not bothered by severe symptoms. Most often, the disease is diagnosedrandomly during a preventive examination by a gynecologist. In most cases, the lesion is unilateral. According to medical reviews, the treatment of ovarian cancer in the first stage is not difficult and, as a rule, it is successful. The following symptoms should alert: bloating, discomfort in the pelvic area, nausea, loss of appetite, frequent urge to urinate, weight loss, an increase in waist size for no apparent reason.
- Second. At this stage, the course of the disease can have several options. Cancer cells may be found in the uterus and/or abdomen. In addition, the tumor can significantly increase in size and spread to the pelvic organs. Symptoms in the second stage increase in intensity, but it is very difficult to determine the exact localization of unpleasant sensations.
- Third. In this case, the affected tissues may grow within the small pelvis or spread further. Metastases in this case can be found in the abdominal cavity and regional lymph nodes. The following signs are added to the existing symptoms: severe pain in the pelvic region, anemia, an increase in the size of the abdomen, the presence of blood in the vaginal discharge.
- The fourth. In this case, malignant cells spread throughout the body. Symptoms are becoming more pronounced, there are signs of disruption of the work of all internal organs. The prognosis for such patients is disappointing.
Surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer. Before and aftersurgery, medical therapy is mandatory. The amount of intervention directly depends on the severity of the pathology. For example, at stage 3, the treatment of ovarian cancer involves the removal of not only the affected tissues, but also the uterus with appendages. Thus, in order to preserve reproductive function, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first discomfort.
Chemotherapy
This method of treating ovarian cancer can reduce the number of cancer cells and stop the growth of the neoplasm. Chemotherapy is carried out at stages 1, 2 and 3, at stage 4 it is not advisable due to low efficiency.
This method of treating ovarian cancer is most often prescribed before surgery. After completing the course, the following positive changes are noted:
- The tumor is shrinking. Consequently, the scope of intervention is also reduced.
- Growth of neoplasm stops.
- The malignancy rate is decreasing.
- The process of spreading metastases stops.
According to doctors, the treatment of ovarian cancer with chemotherapy is effective, but does not eliminate the need for surgery. After the intervention, the course is repeated. This helps prevent the recurrence of the disease and reduce the number of malignant cells in a woman's body. If the patient has stage 1, chemotherapy is given only before surgery.
Treatment involves the administration of several drugs at once. Circuit optionschemotherapy:
- "Cisplastin" + "Cyclophosphamide" + "Adriablastin".
- Vincristine + Actinomycin D + Cyclophosphamide.
- Cisplastin + Vinblastine + Bleomycin.
- Paclitaxel + Ifosfamide + Cisplastin.
- Etoposide + Ifosfamide + Cisplastin.
- Vinblastine + Ifosfamide + Cisplastin.
On average, after surgery, doctors prescribe 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Treatment in this case stretches for 2-3 years. After its completion, the patients have neither moral nor physical strength, their immunity is also weakened. In this regard, women need to eat right, walk more often in the fresh air, take vitamin complexes and be constantly monitored until full recovery.
Radiation therapy
Several years ago, this method was an independent way to treat ovarian cancer in women. However, at present, doctors believe that radiation therapy is not highly effective in combating the disease. It is prescribed for the purpose of stopping signs of relapse, when the disease is not amenable to either chemotherapeutic or surgical effects. It is also indicated for patients requiring palliative care.
Sometimes a course of radiation therapy is given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells in the body. Depending on the severity of the disease, either the pelvic region or the pelvic and abdominal region is irradiated.
Oral medication
CurrentlyOncologists are increasingly prescribing targeted drugs. Their active components negatively affect cancer cells, but he althy tissues do not suffer. Targeted drugs can be prescribed in combination with anticancer drugs. The latter also inhibit the growth of neoplasms and prevent the spread of the malignant process.
The following drugs may be prescribed for ovarian cancer treatment:
- Avastin. Against the background of admission, the blood supply to the tumor significantly worsens, due to which it ceases to increase in size. In addition, the likelihood of metastasis is reduced.
- "Pembrolizumab". This drug has shown high efficacy in the treatment of ovarian cancer with metastases. According to oncologists, this is the latest remedy, against the background of which the immune system of women is stimulated in such a way that the body itself begins to attack and destroy cancer cells.
- "Abiplatin". The active component of the agent binds to the genetic material of malignant cells and damages it, due to which the tumor stops growing. During treatment, he althy tissues can also be affected, which is a drawback of the drug.
- Paclitaxel. It is an anticancer drug that is more commonly prescribed for the treatment of stage 3 ovarian cancer. It is indicated for women who have not benefited from combination therapy.
- Gemzar. An anticancer drug whose active ingredient damages the genetic material of cancer cells. Its disadvantage is that against the background of treatment in the bone marrow,formation of blood cells, leading to anemia.
Very often revealed the fact that the tumor grows against the background of the active production of any hormone. In this case, it is necessary to slow down the process of its synthesis. For this purpose, hormonal therapy is carried out, which involves taking estrogens, androgens, antiestrogen and progestins.
It is unacceptable to self-prescribe drugs. Only a doctor can assess the feasibility of taking this or that remedy based on the history and results of a comprehensive diagnosis. In addition, the above medicines are not freely available.
Surgery
Surgical treatment is the main way to deal with the disease. The goal of surgery is to remove the primary lesion. Excision of the affected tissues is carried out to the maximum extent possible.
Most often, during the operation, surgeons remove the uterus along with the appendages and both ovaries. If a woman wants to preserve reproductive function, only affected tissues can be excised. However, little depends on the wishes of the patient. For example, if there is a threat to a woman's life, there can be no question of preserving the childbearing function, that is, doctors completely remove the uterus with appendages and ovaries.
If during the operation the surgeon finds that the malignant process has spread to the intestines and / or bladder, he partially removes these organs as well.
It is not always possible to excise all affected tissue. In thatIn this case, the doctor intervenes as much as possible, and after the operation, the treatment of ovarian cancer continues with chemotherapy.
Unfortunately, most women go to a medical facility when the disease is in advanced stages. Meanwhile, at an early stage in the development of oncology, a partial removal of the affected organ is carried out, which allows preserving the reproductive function. At stages 3-4, such operations are not performed due to the large area of affected tissues.
Rehab
As mentioned above, the operation is not the last stage in the fight against the disease. After surgery, it is necessary to undergo a course of chemotherapy. Naturally, this cannot but affect he alth and well-being.
Women experience many side effects after treatment for ovarian cancer. The task of doctors is to alleviate their manifestations or even eliminate them.
As part of rehabilitation, the following activities are carried out:
- Drug therapy. The doctor prescribes laxatives and antiemetics, as well as hormonal drugs and immunomodulators.
- Psychological help. Relatives and friends should support a woman. If necessary, they can seek the help of medical staff, social workers and psychotherapists.
- Physiotherapy.
- Therapeutic exercise. Moderate exercise improves blood circulation. In addition, the body is updated faster at the cellular level.
Doctors advise during rehabilitationcommunicate with people who have had a serious illness. Currently, there are many specialized centers in which recovery is faster. Within their walls, women can also communicate with other former patients and receive psychological support.
Forecasts
Ovarian cancer treatment is very complex and lengthy. The outcome of the disease directly depends on the severity of the disease.
Doctors say that if a woman sees a doctor in a timely manner, the prognosis in this case is the most favorable. This is due to the fact that at the initial stage of development, ovarian cancer responds well to treatment. The survival rate in this case is 80-90%.
If stage 2 oncology was detected, the prognosis is somewhat worse. With proper treatment, the five-year survival rate does not exceed 70%. If women see a doctor regularly and do not have bad habits, they can live much longer.
If ovarian cancer was detected at stage 3, it all depends on the spread of the malignant process. The average survival rate is only 45%. If there is a complication in the form of ascites, this indicator is halved.
Women with end-stage cancer have a poor prognosis. Only 15% of patients have a chance to live another 5 years. In the presence of ascites, the survival rate is only 1.5%.
Unconventional Therapy
Many women resort to folk remedies for the treatment of ovarian cancer. It is important to understand that oncology is a disease that often ends in death. Concerningit is unacceptable to consider the treatment of ovarian cancer with folk remedies as the main method.
During the fight against the disease, the body of any woman is greatly weakened. To maintain it, doctors recommend using the following remedies:
- Infusion of hop cones.
- Beet juice.
- Infusion based on propolis and golden mustache.
Experts do not recommend experimenting with he alth and following the advice of friends. It is important to know that many plants can, on the contrary, accelerate tumor growth and provoke the appearance of metastases.
In closing
Ovarian cancer is a malignant pathology that is often asymptomatic at an early stage of development. In this regard, most women go to the doctor already when the oncological process is spreading throughout the body.
The treatment regimen for ovarian cancer is based on the results of a comprehensive diagnosis. The main method of dealing with the disease is surgery. The volume of surgical intervention directly depends on the severity of the pathology. Radiation or chemotherapy may be given before and after surgery. Additionally, oral administration of targeted and anticancer drugs is indicated.
