An ovarian neoplasm is an uncontrolled growth of tissues caused by abnormal cell division. For preventive purposes, a woman is recommended to visit a gynecologist at least once a year and undergo an ultrasound examination. Tumors can be either benign or caused by cancer. Ovarian neoplasms according to ICD-10, the international classification of diseases, have an individual code C56 or D27, which will be recorded in the patient's card. The first of them means that it is oncology, and the second - that the tumor is benign. The symptoms of the disease may vary, but a woman should know the main ones.
Malignant neoplasms
Oncology is very dangerous, in advanced form it leads to metastasis and death of a woman. Malignant neoplasms of the ovaries inthe first time there are no symptoms. Some patients only feel a slight malaise or slight weakness, which they usually do not attach any importance to. Over time, the tumor grows, and the woman goes to the doctor.
Very often, malignant neoplasms of the ovaries are diagnosed only in the stage of decay. In this case, the prognosis of oncologists is unfavorable, since the tumor has already managed to metastasize. Every woman should remember that it is necessary to visit a gynecologist regularly, this will allow diagnosing the disease in the early stages.
Oncologists identify several factors that mainly lead to the appearance of cancerous tumors on the ovaries:
- frequent pelvic inflammatory disease;
- menopause;
- long-term hormone therapy;
- hereditary predisposition;
- disruptions in the menstrual cycle;
- taking hormonal drugs without consulting a doctor;
- work in hazardous production;
- smoking and alcohol abuse.
Malignant tumors are more common in women who live in regions with poor ecology. The impetus for cancer can be a constant state of stress and a weakened immune system. If a malignant tumor was detected at stage 1 or 2, then the woman has a great chance of survival, with advanced forms of oncology, the prognosis is unfavorable.
Benign neoplasms
Tumors of the reproductive organs can benot just cancer. Benign neoplasms of the ovaries are the growth of ovarian tissue due to disturbances in cell division. The development of a non-oncological tumor may be accompanied by pain in the abdomen, menstrual irregularities, infertility and other symptoms. If a benign neoplasm of the ovaries is suspected, the doctor prescribes examinations. Usually these are ultrasound, determination of tumor markers, laparoscopy, MRI and examination of the vagina.
Gynecologists identify several factors that can cause the appearance of benign ovarian neoplasms:
- increased estrogen levels in women;
- disruptions in the menstrual cycle;
- early menopause;
- frequent pelvic inflammatory disease;
- infertility;
- multiple surgical abortions;
- uterine fibroids;
- diabetes mellitus;
- thyroid disease.
Tumors often occur in patients suffering from the human papillomavirus. Also at risk are women who have been diagnosed with type 2 herpes. Patients may complain of pulling pains in the lower abdomen, a feeling of pressure on the bladder or intestines. Women who are trying to get pregnant may have problems conceiving. In young girls, when a benign neoplasm of the ovary occurs, premature puberty occurs.
Hormone-producing neoplasms
The main cause of tumors is genetic disorders. Hormone-producing neoplasm on the left ovary (oron the right) may be caused by the following predisposing factors:
- heredity;
- complications during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia;
- chronic liver disease;
- low immunity;
- menstrual cycle less than 24 days;
- inflammatory processes in the pelvis;
- conservative treatment of uterine fibroids;
- Early start of the menstrual cycle.
Tumours can be caused by a woman living in an area contaminated with radiation. The negative factor is the constant presence of the patient in a state of stress. If a woman suspects a tumor, for example, an inflammatory neoplasm of the ovary, then she should consult a gynecologist. The doctor will suggest the following examinations:
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- tumor markers;
- ultrasound;
- laparoscopy with biopsy.
Women may experience some symptoms, such as uterine bleeding, breast swelling, or increased libido. In young girls, hormone-producing ovarian neoplasms cause premature puberty. In some cases, fluid may appear in the woman's abdomen, that is, ascites. Sometimes the disease causes breast reduction and the appearance of increased hair growth. Some types of hormone-producing neoplasms can degenerate into cancerous tumors.
Metastatic neoplasms
Disease is a consequencedevelopment of a cancerous tumor in another organ. At first, the neoplasm of the right ovary or the left proceeds without pronounced symptoms. Only after the woman begins to feel pressure or pain, as well as an increase in the size of the abdomen. Often metastatic neoplasms are found in both ovaries. The patient, with satisfactory he alth, is indicated for surgical treatment, as well as chemotherapy and radiation.
Most often the disease is diagnosed in women aged 45 to 60 years. Previously, it was believed that metastatic neoplasms of the right ovary or the left are quite rare. Now oncologists note an increase in cases of detection of this disease. Doctors advise women to look out for the following signs:
- unreasonable weight loss;
- irritability;
- weakness;
- loss of appetite;
- fatigue;
- hyperthermia;
- menstrual irregularity;
- pain in the ovary;
- constipation;
- urinary disorders.
If treatment is not carried out and the tumor is left without attention, then ascites may begin. If there is a twisting of the leg of the neoplasm, then the symptoms become more severe: sharp pains, increased heart rate, vomiting. The tumor quickly increases in size, if it bursts, then peritonitis will begin. In the last stages of cancer, the patient develops intestinal obstruction, she is very weak, her weight is rapidly decreasing.
Ovarian cysts
Illness most oftenis asymptomatic, but may occasionally present with abdominal pain. A neoplasm of the right ovary or the left is occasionally accompanied by a violation of the menstrual cycle. Sometimes there may be problems with urination.
Ovarian cyst is a neoplasm in the form of a tumor-like cavity on a leg, filled with fluid. It tends to increase in size and is benign. Cysts can twist or burst, if this happens, peritonitis will develop.
Most often, an ovarian neoplasm does not make itself felt, the pathology is asymptomatic, but sometimes a woman pays attention to the following signs:
- Pain in the lower abdomen. They can be caused, for example, by twisting of the cyst stem or rupture of its membrane.
- Increasing or changing the proportions of the abdomen. This sign can be associated with both an increase in the size of the cyst, and with the accumulation of fluid inside the abdominal cavity - ascites.
- Irregular menstruation. Cysts can affect periods, they can either disappear completely or become extremely abundant.
- Squeezing internal organs. The cyst may affect the intestines or the bladder. This results in either constipation or trouble urinating.
In some cases, women begin to grow body hair in a male pattern. The voice may also grow rough and the clitoris may grow in size. Most often, neoplasms of the uterus and ovaries are removed surgically, but conservative treatment is not excluded.
Tumor symptoms
Diagnoseneoplasms in the ovaries in women, despite all the possibilities of modern medicine, is quite difficult. If the tumor is malignant, then it is especially important to detect it in the early stages, because advanced cancer is not always treatable. Women are advised to visit the gynecologist regularly and undergo ultrasound. At the moment, 83% of oncology is detected at the very last stages, when medicine is already powerless.
If the patient, for example, has a benign neoplasm of the right ovary, then the symptoms can be very mild. Because of this, a woman usually delays visiting a doctor, and in the clinic she may not immediately get to an oncologist or a gynecologist. Often, a neoplasm is discovered by accident, for example, during an abdominal operation associated with another disease.
If a woman has oncology or a borderline condition, then the symptoms are most often more vivid. In the first stages, patients usually do not notice anything strange in their condition, since benign neoplasms, even at the time of rebirth, do not cause problems to their owners. If a woman tries to get pregnant during this period, then, most likely, her attempts will not be successful. With oncology, infertility will be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and whitish discharge from the genitals. Gynecologists register disruptions in the menstrual cycle at this stage only in a few women.
Causes of neoplasms
Ovarian tumors are currently diagnosed equally often in women of childbearing age,as well as after menopause. Neoplasms can be cancerous and benign. But, despite the variety of possible symptoms, it is necessary to quickly diagnose a tumor in a woman, because in the initial stages, treatment will give a positive result faster.
There are a lot of reasons why women develop neoplasms, but gynecologists have identified the main ones:
- hereditary predisposition;
- smoking;
- alcohol addiction;
- early menopause;
- repeated surgical abortion;
- pelvic surgery;
- diabetes mellitus;
- sexually transmitted infections;
- inflammatory processes in the pelvis.
New growths on the ovary are still little studied by gynecologists, so they cannot establish the exact reasons for their appearance. At risk are women suffering from primary infertility, lack of menstruation and frequent inflammation of the pelvic organs. Some diseases can cause ovarian growths, such as human papillomavirus, thyroid problems, or type 2 herpes.
Diagnosis
A gynecologist can detect a neoplasm on the ovary when examining a woman on a chair. Despite advances in the medical field, vaginal examination has not lost its relevance. With a two-handed gynecological examination, the doctor will be able to determine the consistency of the neoplasm, its size and mobility. But on palpation it is impossible to detect tumors that are too small,only those that are larger are palpable. But such a diagnostic method is difficult to perform in patients with advanced adhesions in the pelvis and in obese women.
It is possible to determine a cancerous tumor found by a gynecologist or a benign one using a vaginal-rectal examination. If spikes are palpable at the back of the neoplasm, its arches hang or the mucous membrane grows into the intestines, then most likely it is oncology.
To confirm the results of a gynecological examination, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination to the patient. This method is quite simple and very informative. When using modern devices that create a three-dimensional reconstruction, it is possible to accurately visualize the vascular bed of the neoplasm on the ovary. The doctor can assess the ratio of normal and pathological tissues, as well as their depth.
Laparoscopy is also used to diagnose ovarian neoplasms. The accuracy of the method is 96.5%. But this diagnostic method is not indicated for women suffering from ovarian cancer. This is due to the fact that when the capsules of some tumors are damaged, seeding of the surrounding tissues occurs. Therefore, if during the operation it was found that the tumor is malignant, then doctors should proceed to laparotomy.
Treatment
Therapy depends on how advanced the disease is and the type of tumor. Clinical recommendations for benign ovarian neoplasm differ from those received by patients withoncology. Most often, a woman is offered a surgical solution to the problem. With a benign neoplasm, an adnexectomy is performed - removal of the tumor along with the ovary. This is usually enough to get the patient on the mend soon.
If it is revealed that the neoplasm is malignant, then the treatment will be different. At the same time, the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed. After that, the woman is prescribed chemotherapy - treatment with drugs that destroy tumor cells. In some cases, radiation treatment will also be recommended, it consists in a negative effect on the neoplasm with the help of radiation. In the event that the tumor is susceptible to hormones, the doctor will select the right drug.
Cancer treatment has side effects:
- significant deterioration in well-being;
- hair loss;
- nausea, vomiting.
Sometimes a patient develops new tumors due to exposure to radiation. But without treatment, a woman with oncology will soon die. Therefore, you need to use this chance, which will help restore he alth.
Folk remedies
Oncology is a very serious illness, so self-selection of therapy is unacceptable. Traditional medicine offers a wide variety of recipes aimed at combating ovarian neoplasms. But you can use these funds only after consultation with an oncologist or gynecologist. And even more so, it is impossible to replace chemotherapy or surgery with traditional medicine recipes.intervention. After consultation with a doctor, these remedies can be supplemented with traditional treatment.
Aloe is good for ovarian neoplasms, including malignant ones. The plant raises immunity and improves the well-being of patients who have undergone chemotherapy. Herbalists confirm that aloe is effective in the treatment of oncology. To prepare the drug, the thickest and juiciest leaves are taken, they are washed, dried and stored in the refrigerator for 12 days. After that, aloe is crushed in a meat grinder. Then 1 liter of ground leaves with liquid is mixed with 1 liter of honey and 1 bottle of grape wine. The drug is insisted for 10 days, and then they drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for 3 months.
Phytotherapists speak positively about beet juice in the treatment of various malignant neoplasms, including tumors on the ovaries in women. Its use begins with 1-2 tablespoons per day. This amount is gradually adjusted to 2 glasses per day. Herbalists recommend drinking fresh beetroot juice after it has been in the refrigerator for several hours. This is necessary so that all poisonous compounds that could be present in it disappear from the drug.
Gynecologist recommendations
Tumors often occur in people who have a hereditary predisposition. But this is not a sentence, you just need to exclude some provoking factors from your life, and the risk of developing oncology will noticeably decrease.
Gynecologists advise women to give up bad habits such as smoking andalcohol consumption. It is advisable to start playing sports, such as walking or swimming. Junk food should be excluded from the diet: fast food, fatty, fried foods.
A woman's he alth will benefit from modern hormonal contraceptives. They not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but also reduce the likelihood of tumors on the ovaries. A woman should refrain from having an abortion. At least 2 times a year, you need to visit a gynecologist and undergo an ultrasound examination.
It is advisable for a woman to donate blood for hormones from time to time in order to detect any violations in time. And if the disease is still found, then the patient must comply with all clinical recommendations for ovarian neoplasms.
