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.
Read More
at: https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2016/05/simple-rules-from-international-ovarian.html
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.
