is a disease that affects ovarian tissue in the female reproductive system. The ovaries are responsible for producing eggs (ova) and are also a production site for the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Causes and Risk Factors of Ovarian Cancer
Unfortunately, we cannot pinpoint exactly what causes ovarian cancer, but researchers have identified several known risk factors for it. We know that ovarian cancer most often is diagnosed in women who:

•are post-menopausal.

•are Caucasian.

•have a family history of colon cancer, breast, or ovarian cancer.

•were previously diagnosed with breast cancer.

•suffer from obesity.

•used Clomid (a fertility drug) for longer than one year

•use(d) estrogen replacement therapy

•who have not given birth.

•have a a known inherited mutation of BRCA 1 or 2 gene conformed through genetic testing
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
Ovarian cancer is often referred as the "silent killer" because there are no early warning signs, or symptoms aren't noticeable until the advanced stages, when it is less treatable. Early ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague and are commonly chalked up to be related to other, less serious conditions. Early ovarian cancer symptoms may include:
•changes in bowel habits like constipation or diarrhea

•pelvic pain or pressure

•frequent urge to urinate

Symptoms of ovarian cancer that usually do not appear until the disease has progressed include:

•abdominal bloating

•pain during sexual intercourse

•persistent fatigue

•abdominal weight gain

•sudden unexplained weight gain or weight loss
Persistent symptoms that continue for several weeks need to be reported to your doctor. You should not wait to see if symptoms get better or go away on their own. Seeing your doctor early may lead to an earlier diagnosis.

•10 Cancer Symptoms Women Need to Know

•Pelvic Pain - What Could It Be?

is a type of cancer that affects the uterus in the female reproductive system. Cancer most commonly develops in the endometrium of the uterus, resulting in endometrial cancer, the most prevalent type of uterine cancer. Much less commonly, cancer develops in the muscles and other tissues that support the uterus. When this occurs, it is called a uterine sarcoma. Less than 5% of uterine cancers are sarcomas.
Causes and Risk Factors for Uterine Cancer
Unfortunately, we cannot pinpoint what causes uterine cancer, but we are aware of risk factors that may increase the likelihood of it developing. Uterine cancer most often occurs in women who are post-menopausal, regardless of what type of uterine cancer. Younger women can develop the disease, but much less often than women who have gone through menopause.

In cases of uterine sarcomas, we know that prior pelvic radiation therapy treatment may increase the risk in some women. It is also evident that uterine sarcomas occur more frequently in African-American women than Caucasians, though the reason is unclear.

Fortunately, we know more about endometrial cancer than we do about uterine sarcomas. Researchers have identified several known risk factors, including:

•never being pregnant

•beginning menstruation before age 12 and continuing through age 50 or more

•being diabetic

•obesity

•use of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)

•personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer

•use of Tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment drug

is a rare type of cancer that forms in the vaginal tissue in women. Not to be confused with the vulva, the vagina is the narrow, elastic canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is about 2 to 4 inches long. It is also referred to as the birth canal.
Causes and Risk Factors of Vaginal Cancer
Although researchers cannot pinpoint exactly what causes vaginal cancer, they have identified several known risk factors for the disease. A risk factor is something that increases the likelihood that you may develop a disease, but is not a guarantee you will get it. Risk factors for vaginal cancer include:

•HPV infection

•DES exposure (synthetic estrogen given to women before 1971 during pregnancy to prevent miscarriage, but ultimately causing health risks to the expectant mother and daughters/son they carried)

•diagnosed with cervical cancer

•use of a vaginal pessary

•smoking

•HIV/AIDS infection
Vaginal Cancer Symptoms
In the early stages, vaginal cancer does not usually causes any noticeable symptoms. As the disease progresses, symptoms begin to appear. Symptoms of vaginal cancer include abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge, pelvic pain, a lump, bump, or lesion in the vagina, and pain during sexual intercourse.

is a rare type of cancer that affects vulva of women. Not to be confused with the vagina, the vulva encompasses the labia majora and labia minora, folds of skin that protect the vaginal and urethral openings.

There are several types of vulvar cancer, but squamous cell vulvar carninoma is most common. It accounts for more than 90% of diagnosed cases. Melanoma of the vulva is the second most common and represents about 5% of women with vulvar cancer. Other types include Paget's Disease of the vulva, vulvar adenocarcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma, but these are much less common.

CA-125 Blood Test . CA-125 is a protein that is secreted by ovarian cancer cells and is elevated in over 80% of patients with ovarian cancer. Oncologists will usually only obtain a blood test for this protein if ovarian cancer is strongly suspected or has been diagnosed. In general, a CA-125 level is considered to be normal if it is less than 35 U/mL (microns per milliliter). The test may also be useful for evaluating tumor growth and predicting survival in patients with recurrent cancer who have been treated with topotecan or paclitaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy regimens.

The test is not useful for diagnosis or early screening, however. In about half of women with very early ovarian cancer, CA-125 levels are not elevated above the normal standard. Furthermore, an elevated level can be caused by a number of other conditions including:

Endometriosis
Fibroids
Noncancerous ovarian cysts
Pregnancy
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Liver diseases
Other tumors, such as breast, colon, lung, and pancreatic cancers
Age and menstrual status can also affect the levels of CA-125
OVA1 Blood Test . In 2009, the FDA approved the OVA1 blood test, which is used to help predict whether ovarian cancer is more likely to be present in a pelvic mass. The OVA1 test measures the level of CA-125 and four other proteins. The test can help doctors decide what type of surgery should be performed. The OVA1 test is used in addition to, not in place of, other diagnostic and clinical procedures. It is not used to screen for or provide a definite diagnosis of ovarian cancer, but can help doctors to determine that a malignancy is more likely to be present.

Other imaging techniques are less common for the diagnosis or evaluation of suspected ovarian cancer but may help determine if cancer has spread to other parts of the body:

Computed tomography (CT). Computed tomography records x-ray absorption rates of tissue and bone. These data is converted into clear images on a screen. CT scans help determine if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, abdominal organs, abdominal fluid, and the liver.
Click the icon to see an image of a CT scan..Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI creates multiple cross-sectional images of the pelvis and abdominal organs, which are assembled into three-dimensional images. An MRI is not usually used to diagnose ovarian cancer, but may help determine if cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord.
Click the icon to see an image of a MRI scan..Chest x-rays. Find cancer that has spread to the lungs.

Every woman should have a regular annual examination with her doctor that includes:

Pelvic examination . Routine pelvic exams are a reasonable precaution, although they are not a perfect screening method. This exam is performed in two ways. The doctor inserts two fingers into the vagina while feeling the abdomen with the other hand. The doctor also performs a bimanual rectovaginal exam, which involves the insertion of one finger into the vagina and another into the rectum.

Both exams enable the doctor to assess the size of the ovaries as well as the contour and mobility of the uterus and to feel for masses and growths. The rectovaginal exam can sometimes reveal rectal lesions that may otherwise go unnoticed and is particularly important for women over 50. A mass felt on pelvic exam often requires further evaluation by ultrasound and sometimes requires surgery to make a definitive diagnosis.

Many women are treated each year in the United States because of ovarian growths or lesions. Many more women find out about some ovarian abnormality during their annual gynecological exam. The vast majority of conditions are noncancerous. They include:

Benign functional ovarian cysts
Abscesses and infection
Fibroids
Click the icon to see an image of a fibroid tumor..Endometriosis
Polycystic ovaries
Click the icon to see an image of a polycystic ovary..Ectopic pregnancies
Click the icon to see an image of an ectopic pregnancy..Meig syndrome (which involves a benign ovarian growth associated with fluid buildup in the abdomen and around the lungs)
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome following fertility treatments.
Once a growth is detected, the additional tests described below may help the doctor evaluate the risk for it being cancerous.

Ultrasound. Ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that can evaluate tumors and masses discovered during the rectovaginal exam:

Typically, a probe that emits sound waves (ultrasound). is placed in the vagina. The sound waves bounce off tissues, organs, and masses in the pelvic cavity. These echoes are collected and converted into a picture of the area called a sonogram. Healthy tissue, fluid-filled cysts, and solid tumors produce different sound waves.
Click the icon to see an image of transvaginal ultrasound..The ultrasound probe may also be placed on abdominal walls above the ovaries ( transabdominal ultrasound ), but it does not provide as clear a picture of the ovaries. This technique may be needed to evaluate larger masses or cancer that has spread into the abdomen.

Up to 95% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive longer than 5 years if their cancers are treated before they have spread beyond the ovaries. Unfortunately, there are no screening tests for ovarian cancer that are the equivalent to mammography for early detection of breast cancer. Therefore, only about 25% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at such early stages. It is possible to perform genetic screening in high-risk women, but this raises some complex issues.

symptoms are often vague. Women and their doctors often blame the symptoms on other, more common conditions. By the time the cancer is diagnosed, the tumor has often spread beyond the ovaries.

You should see your doctor if you have the following symptoms on a daily basis for more than a few weeks:

Bloating
Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Other symptoms are also seen with ovarian cancer. However, these symptoms are also common in women who do not have cancer:

Abnormal menstrual cycles
Digestive symptoms:
Constipation
Increased gas
Indigestion
Lack of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Sense of pelvic heaviness
Swollen abdomen or belly
Unexplained back pain that worsens over time
Vaginal bleeding
Vague lower abdominal discomfort
Weight gain or loss
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:

Excessive hair growth
Increased urinary frequency or urgency

is the fifth most common cancer among women, and it causes more deaths than any other type of female reproductive cancer.

The cause is unknown.

The risk for developing ovarian cancer appears to be affected by several factors. The more children a woman has and the earlier in life she gives birth, the lower her risk for ovarian cancer. Certain genes defects (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are responsible for a small number of ovarian cancer cases. Women with a personal history of breast cancer or a family history of breast or ovarian cancer have an increased risk for ovarian cancer.

Women who take estrogen replacement only (not with progesterone) for 5 years or more seem to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Birth control pills, however, decrease the risk of ovarian cancer.

Studies suggest that fertility drugs do not increase the risk for ovarian cancer.

Older women are at highest risk for developing ovarian cancer. Most deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women age 55 and older

Stage I: Cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be found on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen.

Stage II: Cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are found on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be found in fluid collected from the abdomen.

Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to the regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be found on the outside of the liver.

Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be found inside the liver, in the lungs, or in other organs

Doctors often use CT scans to make pictures of organs and tissues in the pelvis or abdomen. An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes several pictures. You may receive contrast material by mouth and by injection into your arm or hand. The contrast material helps the organs or tissues show up more clearly. Abdominal fluid or a tumor may show up on the CT scan.

To plan the best treatment, your doctor needs to know the grade of the tumor (see Diagnosis) and the extent (stage) of the disease. The stage is based on whether the tumor has invaded nearby tissues, whether the cancer has spread, and if so, to what parts of the body.

Usually, surgery is needed before staging can be complete. The surgeon takes many samples of tissue from the pelvis and abdomen to look for cancer.

Your doctor may order tests to find out whether the cancer has spread:

Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.

Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place.

Sometimes, this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.

Tumors can be benign or malignant:

In invasive cribriform carcinoma, the cancer cells invade the stroma (connective tissues of the breast) in nestlike formations between the ducts and lobules. Within the tumor, there are distinctive holes in between the cancer cells, making it look something like Swiss cheese. Invasive cribriform carcinoma is usually low grade, meaning that its cells look and behave somewhat like normal, healthy breast cells. In about 5-6% of invasive breast cancers, some portion of the tumor can be considered cribriform. Usually, some ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the cribriform type is present as well.

of the breast are rare, accounting for less than 1-2% of invasive breast cancers. In most cases, these types of tumors are diagnosed in older women who have already been through menopause. An invasive papillary carcinoma usually has a well-defined border and is made up of small, finger-like projections. Often it is Grade 2, or moderate grade, on a scale of 1 to 3 — with Grade 1 describing cancer cells that look and behave somewhat like normal, healthy breast cells, and Grade 3 describing very abnormal, fast-growing cancer cells. In most cases of invasive papillary carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is also present. (DCIS is a type of cancer in which the carcinoma cells are confined to the breast duct.)

of the breast — sometimes called colloid carcinoma — is a rare form of invasive ductal carcinoma (cancer that begins in the milk duct and spreads beyond it). Mucinous carcinoma of the breast accounts for about 2-3% of all breast cancer cases. In this type of cancer, the tumor is formed from abnormal cells that “float” in pools of mucin, a key ingredient in the slimy, slippery substance known as mucus.

Normally, mucus lines most of the inner surface of our bodies, such as our digestive tract, lungs, liver, and other vital organs. Many types of cancer cells — including most breast cancer cells — produce some mucus. In mucinous carcinoma, however, the mucus becomes a main part of the tumor and surrounds the breast cancer cells.

Mucinous carcinoma tends to affect women after they’ve gone through menopause. Some studies have found that the usual age at diagnosis is 60 or older.

Mucinous carcinoma is less likely to spread to the lymph nodes than other types of breast cancer. It’s also easier to treat.

of the breast is a rare subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma (cancer that begins inside the milk duct and spreads beyond it). Tubular carcinoma accounts for about 1-2% of all breast cancer cases. In this type of cancer, the tumor is usually small and made up of tube-shaped cells that are low grade. “Low grade” means they look somewhat similar to normal, healthy cells and tend to grow slowly.

Tubular carcinoma of the breast is less likely to spread outside the breast than other types of breast cancer. It’s also easier to treat.

Studies have found that the average age of diagnosis for tubular carcinoma ranges from the mid-40s to late 60s.

Medullary carcinoma of the breast is a rare subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma (cancer that begins in the milk duct and spreads beyond it), accounting for about 3-5% of all cases of breast cancer. It is called “medullary” carcinoma because the tumor is a soft, fleshy mass that resembles a part of the brain called the medulla.

Medullary carcinoma can occur at any age, but it usually affects women in their late 40s and early 50s. Medullary carcinoma is more common in women who have a BRCA1 mutation. Studies have shown that medullary carcinoma is also more common in Japan than in the United States.

Medullary carcinoma cells are usually high-grade in their appearance and low-grade in their behavior. In other words, they look like aggressive, highly abnormal cancer cells, but they don’t act like them. Medullary carcinoma doesn’t grow quickly and usually doesn’t spread outside the breast to the lymph nodes. For this reason, it’s typically easier to treat than other types of breast cancer.

is the most common type of breast cancer. About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas.

Invasive means that the cancer has “invaded” or spread to the surrounding breast tissues. Ductal means that the cancer began in the milk ducts, which are the “pipes” that carry milk from the milk-producing lobules to the nipple. Carcinoma refers to any cancer that begins in the skin or other tissues that cover internal organs — such as breast tissue. All together, “invasive ductal carcinoma” refers to cancer that has broken through the wall of the milk duct and begun to invade the tissues of the breast. Over time, invasive ductal carcinoma can spread to the lymph nodes and possibly to other areas of the body.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 women in the United States find out they have invasive breast cancer each year. Most of them are diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma.

Although invasive ductal carcinoma can affect women at any age, it is more common as women grow older. According to the American Cancer Society, about two-thirds of women are 55 or older when they are diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma also affects men.

Breast cancer can begin in different areas of the breast – the ducts, the lobules, or in some cases, the tissue in between. In this section, you can learn about the different types of breast cancer, including non-invasive, invasive, recurrent, and metastatic breast cancers. You can also read about breast cancer in men.