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)