Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Signs of Ovarian Cancer: Are You at Risk?

These cysts may resolve on their own within several months, causing no symptoms, or they can enlarge and even rupture into the abdomen, causing pelvic or abdominal pain or bleeding. But functional cysts don't turn into cancer. Unfortunately, ovarian malignancies can sometimes act and look like functional cysts. They rupture, bleed or twist.

Because a cyst might be a cancer to begin with and not a functional cyst as originally thought, it's important for women to follow up with their ob-gyns after a cyst has been diagnosed to make sure it has gone away or shrunk.

6. Is an ovarian tumor always cancerous?
No, a tumor is simply an abnormal growth. For example, epithelial ovarian tumors can be benign or malignant; some can be borderline malignant (meaning they have cells that are abnormal and may or may not become cancerous.)

7. What causes ovarian cancer?
Its exact cause isn't known, although we know some of the factors that make a woman more likely to develop it (see below).

8. How do I know if I'm at risk?
Explaining risk factors for ovarian cancer isn't as easy as for heart disease or breast cancer because the disease hasn't been studied for as long as or as intensively as those other disorders. But scientists have identified some risk factors – though they haven't yet found out why they increase risk.

You're over 50: Older women are more at risk than younger ones. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Experts speculate changing hormone levels may be a factor. Plus, older women have gone through more ovulation cycles in their lifetimes. It's unusual for a woman under 40 to develop ovarian cancer. But remember, it can occur in your younger years, even though it's not that common.



Source: http://ift.tt/1nAOQzY

IFTTT

Put the internet to work for you.

via Personal Recipe 8723148

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please, don't spam! Send only useful and thematic comments. Thanks!