OVARIAN/ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

Ovarian/Endometrial Cancer



Ovarian/Endometrial Cancer

To begin, ovaries are a part of a women's reproductive system that are located in the pelvis. The ovaries release eggs which travel through a woman's fallopian tubes, into her uterus. They also make estrogen and progesterone, the two female hormones. Normally, cells grow and divide, creating new cells and die. When cancer begins, a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor forms from the extra cells and old cells that did not die. Ovarian cancer begins in the cells that form the ovaries. There are many types of tumors that can start in the ovaries, some are benign and some are malignant. (metrohealth.org)

Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening. They do not invade the tissues around the ovaries or spread to other parts of the body. Women who have benign tumors can be treated by having surgery that removes the infected ovary. On the other hand, malignant tumors are cancerous. They are much more serious than benign tumors and can be life threatening. When the tumor is malignant, it can damage other tissues and organs by spreading outside the ovary to other parts of the body. They can usually be removed, but there is a chance that the tumor could grow back.1

Tumors in the ovary are named for the kinds of cells the tumor starts. There are three types of tissue found in an ovary; epithelial cells, germ cells, and stromal cells. This makes them Epithelial tumors, Germ Cell tumors, and Stromal tumors. Epithelial tumors develop from cells that cover the surface of the ovary. There are different types of epithelial tumors, making them the most common. LMP tumors (tumors of low malignant potential) do not appear to be cancerous when first looked under a microscope and can be referred to as borderline tumors. They grow and spread slowly and usually affect younger women. A cancerous epithelial tumor is carcinomas. This is a rare cancer that starts outside of the ovaries and can still develop in women who have had their ovary removed. (elibrary.com)

Germ Cell Tumors develop from cells that produce the eggs. Most germ cell tumors are benign, but some may be cancerous. These often occur in women in their late teens or early twenties. The most common are teratoma, dysgerminoma, endodermal sinus tumor, and choriocarcinoma. The third type is Stromal tumors. They can be either benign or malignant which are more commonly found in women over 50 years old. This type of tumor develops from the tissue that connects the ovary to the cells that produce estrogen and progestrogene. 2

Doctors cannot always explain why some women develop ovarian cancer and others do not, but there are many theories about the causes of ovarian cancer. There are many risk factors associated with women, which can cause them to have a higher chance of developing ovarian cancer. The main risk factors are family history, age, diet, menstrual periods, and fertility drugs.

Women have an increased chance in developing ovarian cancer if their family has a history of ...