Ovarian cancer, a silent killer for Indonesian women: Study

Ovarian cancer, a silent killer for Indonesian women: Study

JAKARTA (JP): Pouring talcum powder on your body just after a
bath can make you feel fresh and fragrant. But, be careful, a
study reveals that a woman who has used talc in her genital area
for years may be at a high risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Dr. Sjahrul Sjamsuddin, a gynecologist and oncologist at the
Dharmais Cancer Hospital in Jakarta, explained that talcum powder
has become part of a woman's life.

"Mothers often pour talcum powders on their babies's genital
areas and such habits continue through the toddler stage and into
adulthood," said the doctor during a seminar on ovarian cancer.

Only a very few realize that the habit is hazardous.

"It is only a few years ago that the medical world uncovered
the link between the use of talcum powder and the development of
ovarian cancer in women," he said.

The doctor explained that ovarian cancer is an abnormal tumor
that begins in the ovaries, a pair of organs in the female
reproductive system.

It is one of the deadly cancer-related diseases in women in
addition to breast cancer and cervical cancer.

The ovaries are important as they are the main sources of the
female hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones
influence the development of women's breasts, body shapes and
body hair. They also regulate the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

"Once you get ovarian cancer, the chances of having a baby are
very slim," the doctor said.

He also said it is very hard to detect ovarian cancer in the
very early stages. "Most patients (between 70 percent and 80
percent) suffering from ovarian cancer come here during the third
stage meaning that the cancerous cells have already spread to
other parts of the body," the doctor explained.

So far, the exact causes of ovarian cancer are not known,
However, according to the website Cancer.Net the following
factors may increase the chances of developing this disease.

Family history: First degree relatives (mother, daughter and
sister) of a woman who has ovarian cancer are at increased risk
of developing this type of cancer themselves. A family history of
breast or colon cancer is also associated with an increased risk
of developing ovarian cancer.

Age: The likelihood of developing ovarian cancer increases as
a woman gets older. Most ovarian cancers occur in women over the
age of 50, with the highest risk in women over 60.

Childbearing: Women who have never had children are more
likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who have had
children. In fact, the more children a woman has had, the less
likely she is to develop ovarian cancer.

Personal history: women who have had breast or colon cancer
may have a greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than women
who have not had breast or colon cancer.

Symptoms

Dr. Sjamsuddin warned women who experience several symptoms
such as general abdominal discomfort and pain (gas, indigestion,
pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps) to be more alert.

"Many times, they ignore these symptoms thinking they are
minor illnesses," he said. Doctors could give misleading
treatment and gave their patients wrong medication.

"Some doctors prescribe medication which is only suitable for
patients with digestion problems, because the symptoms are almost
identical," he said.

Other possible symptoms include: nausea, diarrhea,
constipation, and frequent urination, loss of appetite, feeling
of fullness even after a light meal, weight gain or loss for
unknown reasons and abnormal bleeding from the vagina.

The doctor said that scientists around the world are now
studying ways to detect ovarian cancer before the symptoms become
apparent.

"The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better a
woman's chances of recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect
in the early stages," the doctor stressed.

Many times, women with ovarian cancer have experienced no
symptoms or only mild symptoms until the disease has been at an
advanced stage, he added.

Currently, the detection of ovarian cancer is carried out by
measuring the level of CA-125, a substance known as a tumor
marker, which is often found in higher than normal amounts in the
blood of women with ovarian cancer. Doctors are also evaluating
transvaginal ultrasound, a test that may help detect the disease
at an early stage.

If the diagnosis is ovarian cancer, the doctor will want to
ascertain the stage of disease. Staging is a careful attempt to
find out whether the cancer has spread and ,if so, to what parts
of the body. Staging may involve surgery, x-rays and other
imaging procedures and lab tests. Knowing the stage of the
disease helps the doctor plan treatment.

"The process of spreading abnormal cells depends on the
general health condition of each affected person. Sometimes, it
can be quite slow, in others it can be so fast," he said.

Ovarian cancer cells can break away from the ovary and spread
to other tissues and organs in a process called shedding. When
ovarian cancer sheds, it tends to seed (form) new tumors.

Ovarian cancer cells can also enter the bloodstream or
lymphatic system (the tissues and organs that produce and store
cells that fight infection and disease). Once in the bloodstream
or lymphatic system, the cancer cells can travel and form new
tumors in other parts of the body, Cancer.Net explains.

Treatment for ovarian cancer depends on a number of factors,
including the stage of the disease and the general health of the
patient.

Many different treatments and combinations of treatments are
used to treat ovarian cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy and
radiation therapy.

The side effects of cancer treatment depend on the type of
treatment and may be different for each woman.

Surgery causes short-term pain and tenderness in the area of
the operation. When both ovaries are removed a woman loses her
ability to become pregnant. Removing the ovaries means that the
body's natural source of estrogen and progesterone is lost and
menopause occurs, the doctor noted.

Chemotherapy affects normal as well as cancerous cells. Side
effects depend largely on the specific drugs and the dosage.

"As we learn more about what causes ovarian cancer, we may
also learn how to reduce the chances of getting this disease," he
said.

Some studies have shown that breast feeding and taking birth
control pills (oral contraceptives) may decrease a woman's
likelihood of developing ovarian cancer

Some evidence suggests that reducing the amount of fat in the
diet may lower the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Having one or more of the risk factors mentioned here does not
mean that a woman is sure to develop ovarian cancer, but the
chances may be higher than average.

"It will be better to lead a healthy life because treatment
for cancer is very difficult and, of course, expensive," he
added. (raw)