Monday, May 8, 2017

Current Research in field of Ovarian Cancer diagnosis, prevention, screening and treatment on World Ovarian Cancer day.


World Ovarian Cancer day is celebrated on May 8th each year to save lives by increasing the awareness about this deadly disease.

Ovarian cancer has got the lowest survival rate and often diagnosed at very late stage among all gynecological malignancies.  The current mission is patient-centered research to prevent, detect, treat, and cure ovarian cancer. It also includes increasing our understanding of the precursor lesions, /stem cell, microenvironment, disease progression, tumor response  and progression.

A major advance in treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer was made when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Zejula (niraparib) for the maintenance treatment of epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer in adult patients who have already responded well to platinum-based chemotherapy.


Oral contraceptive pill use protects against colorectal, endometrial and ovarian cancer.
Women who have ever used the ‘pill’ have a decreased chance of having colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer or ovarian cancer than women who had never used the pill according to a new research from The University of Aberdeen, UK.
The study was published in February issue of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Douching doubles the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
A National Health study in US linked the age-old ritual of douching to subsequent development of ovarian cancer. Women who douche have nearly twice the risk as compared to women who do not practice it.
According to Department of Health and Human services(HHS) one quarter of women between the ages of 15 and 44 practice douching. Studies have linked douching to Bacterial Vaginosis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(PID), STIs, including HIV, preterm birth, ectopic pregnancy and vaginal irritation or dryness. A meta-analysis of more than 10,000 HIV-negative women in sub-Saharan Africa found that intravaginal use of drying agents was associated with an increased risk of BV and HIV.


Simple Rules from the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis to differentiate benign vs malignant adnexal masses.
Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women worldwide (18 most common cancers overall). The highest incidence of ovarian cancer is seen Europe and Northern America; and the lowest incidence in Africa and Asia.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2016, there will be 22,280 new cases of ovary cancer and an estimated 14,240 people will die of this disease. Owing to slow progression, being relatively asymptomatic in early stages and with no single reliable screening test it is usually diagnosed at a  late stages.


Elective oophorectomy or ovarian conservation at the time of benign hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is the second most common surgery performed in US after cesarean section.  According to CDC data approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year. A nationwide study further reported that unilateral or bilateral oophorectomy was performed in 68 percent of women at the time of abdominal hysterectomy, 60 percent at laparoscopic hysterectomy, and 26 percent at vaginal hysterectomy.


A New Paradigm for Prevention of Ovarian Cancer
This article is based on a paper by Nezhat R et al in September 2015 issue of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Apart from the genetics and modifiable risk factors responsible for causation of cancer, a new theory by Nezhat et al holds that serous ovarian cancer begins in the Fallopian tube from where it spreads onto the ovarian surface.

Nezhat and colleagues classify ovarian cancers on the basis of etiology into two groups. Type I cancers originate from various ovarian pathologies (borderline ovarian tumors, endometriomas). These cancers typically have a more favorable prognosis because they are diagnosed at an earlier stage and metastasize more slowly.



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