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• Ovarian Cancer
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So far, knowledge about risk factors for ovarian cancer has not led to definitive ways to prevent the disease.

The first step toward prevention is knowing your risk of ovarian cancer, and recognizing the symptoms.

By knowing your risk and recognizing the symptoms of ovarian cancer, you are on a path to prevention

Ovarian cancer is often referred to as a “silent killer”, because it can develop without significant symptoms until the disease has advanced and spread to an extent that the chance of cure or remission is poor. Although mild and often general in nature, symptoms of ovarian cancer are persistent and represent a feeling of change from what women consider their body´s normal state. Recognizing these symptoms and reporting them to your physician are key factors for an early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Can ovarian cancer be prevented?

So far, knowledge about risk factors for ovarian cancer has not led to definitive ways to prevent the disease. Avoiding known risk factors when possible and recognizing the protective factors may help prevent ovarian cancer.

Knowing your genetic risk of ovarian cancer is knowing more about your overall risk, and may alert you earlier to any possible symptoms. If diagnosed early, treatment for ovarian cancer can be very effective with up to 90% of women surviving for more than five years.

deCODEme can calculate your genetic risk of ovarian cancer

The deCODEme Complete Scan identifies a recently found, common genetic variant on chromosome 9 that can increase a woman’s risk of developing the most common type of ovarian cancer (epithelial cancer). This variant is found in approximately 70% of women of European descent (see Song et al, 2009). For this variant, the deCODEme genetic scan provides female customers of European descent with a personalized interpretation of their genetic risk for developing ovarian cancer. At present, the necessary scientific information to interpret the genetic risk for women of other ethnicities is not available. This information will be added as soon as it becomes available and we are assured of its quality.

Treatment options for ovarian cancer depend on the stage and grade of the disease when diagnosed

The standard treatment for ovarian cancer starts with determining the stage and grade of the tumor. Staging is usually done during surgery which also has the goal to remove as much as possible of the tumor in order to make subsequent chemotherapy or radiation more effective. Doctors use a simple 1 to 4 (I-IV) staging system for ovarian cancer. In this scheme, patients are classified as having limited disease (stage I and II) or advanced disease (stage III and IV). In general, the more advanced the stage of ovarian cancer, the harder it is to treat.

Women diagnosed with early (stage I) and low grade cancer of one ovary may only need to have the affected ovary and its fallopian tube removed. With only slightly more advanced disease, however, doctors will usually recommend surgery to remove both ovaries and the uterus due to the risk of remnant cancer in the other ovary.

Surgery is typically followed by chemotherapy

During and after chemotherapy, doctors monitor progress with pelvic exams and with a CA-125 blood test. The CA-125 or Cancer Antigen 125 is a protein sometimes present on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Even though this blood test is not considered a reliable screening tool, it can help doctors monitor whether ovarian cancer has returned in women who have already been treated.

More information on ovarian cancer treatment

For more information about prevention and treatment for ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor or visist the following websites:

• Ovarian Cancer Prevention from the National Cancer Institute
• How is Ovarian Cancer Treated from the American Cancer Society
• Ovarian Cancer Treatment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Staging and Treatment of Ovarian Cancer from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

This content was last reviewed on February 09, 2010.

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