The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2009 more than 20,000 American women were diagnosed with, and over 14,000 women died from, ovarian cancer. Because of the difficulty in detecting ovarian cancer, this disease is known as a "silent...
Cancer of the ovaries causes approximately 15,000 deaths annually and remains the number one cancer killer of the female reproductive system. Ovarian cancer kills because its detection often comes late in the disease after it spreads. Early...
Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect because its symptoms are often vague and can be attributed to other medical conditions. In addition to the signs and symptoms that can alert someone with ovarian cancer to its presence, there are physical...
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths among American women, making prevention and early diagnosis important for women across the United States. Despite their importance, ovarian cancer screening methods are...
Cell growth within the body is tightly regulated by a number of factors. Cells that become mutated are normal signaled by the body to undergo cellular suicide to prevent the development of diseases such as cancer. Cancer occurs when cells have...
There is no specific test to diagnose polycystic ovary disease. This disorder, also called polycystic ovary syndrome, is believed to be linked to genetic causes and high insulin levels. The illness is often identified via a process of...
The ovaries are part of a woman's reproductive system, and are where eggs are formed. When cancer forms in the tissues of these organs, it is called ovarian cancer. The majority of ovarian cancers are epithelial carcinomas, which means the cancer...
Ovarian cancer is a serious and life-threatening form of cancer that often goes undetected until the cancer is in its final stages. Because ovarian cancer is not tested for or detected with a routine Pap smear, it is difficult to get pre-screened...
Ovarian cancer is uncontrolled cell growth that causes tumors in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs that make the female hormones and produce eggs. All women have some risk of developing ovarian cancer, but according to the Centers for...
Before removing a suspected ovarian cyst, a gynecologist frequently requests additional tests, such as a sonogram and CA-125 blood test. The sonogram allows the doctor the get a better picture of your ovaries, allowing her to see the size of the...
Ovarian cancer is most common after menopause and it usually affects the surface layers of the ovary. Early symptoms may include bloating, abdominal pain, painful sex and constipation. Although the cause of ovarian cancer is unclear, it may have a...
Due to recent discoveries of new genes and the development of new testing methodologies, the availability of genetic testing has increased dramatically. Several companies now offer direct-to-consumer genetic testing through which individuals can...
Constipation is defined by the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse as having three or fewer bowel movements per week. Bloating--the sensation of feeling abdominal fullness even long after a meal--is usually attributed to excess...
Bloating and backaches are common symptoms that affect everyone from time to time. While most underlying causes are not serious, in some cases, these symptoms may signal the presence of a medical issue that needs attention. If you experience...
Breast cancer can be a scary thing, especially if a woman has a family history or certain risk factors. Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tools can help determine if a possible breast cancer risk exists. These are not diagnostic tests; if women...
During pregnancy, the body begins to produce the hormone HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. It is secreted by the placenta following implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall. An HCG test is used to confirm pregnancy and later on it may be...
Home pregnancy tests and blood pregnancy tests taken at a doctor's office measure the presence of the hCG, a hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. According to WomensHealth.gov, home pregnancy tests are highly...
When ovarian cancer is diagnosed, it is staged. Staging involves using a standardized classification to describe the spread and extent of a cancer. This helps to guide treatment options and prognosis. For ovarian cancer, stages range from Stage I,...
Positive pregnancy tests don't always indicate that conception has occurred. In some instances, false positives occur completely unrelated to pregnancy. Several medical conditions can cause the production of human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG,...
Ovarian cancer starts in the ovaries, which are the glands in women that produce eggs. Upon diagnosis of ovarian cancer, it is surgically staged, which means that the extent and spread of the cancer is determined during surgery. This helps to...
Several lifestyle factors are associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Women at high risk should be especially focused on reducing the chances of developing breast cancer. Contributors to that cannot be controlled include family history,...
Ovarian cancer generally has minimal symptoms in its early stages, so many women do not find out they have the disease until it is in its advanced stages. A test designed specifically for ovarian cancer patients called the CA-125, helps doctors...
Both men and women make testosterone in their adrenal glands, but men also make it in their testicles and women in their ovaries. Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays an important role in your physical development, particularly your...
According to the National Cancer Institute, each year mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are linked to over 20,000 cases of breast cancer in the United States. Known mutations in these two genes increase the likelihood by five-fold that an...
Ovarian cancer symptoms mimic symptoms of several other conditions, which is one reason that it is so difficult to diagnose. However, the American Cancer Society has determined that there are some specific symptoms that are characteristic of...
Ovarian cancer is particularly dangerous because its symptoms, such as a generalized discomfort in the abdomen and a heaviness in the pelvic area, are often overlooked or blamed on other causes. It affects nearly 22,000 women in the United States...
Breast cancer is a tumor that develops from any of the cell types within the breast. There are several types of breast cancer that differ in their originating cell type, invasiveness and aggressiveness. Breast-cancer screening is a preventive...
The menstrual cycle is governed by the interaction of hormones that allow an egg-containing follicle to grow. Follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, plays an important role in the recruitment and development of eggs each month. Abnormal FSH levels...
Over the last few decades, cancer treatment has improved and cancer prevention methods have closely followed. Through clinical research, scientists have discovered ways that individuals can mitigate their risk of developing cancer. Some of these...
