Unlike other types of cancer, which are silent and asymptomatic, ovarian cancer may produce very serious signs and symptoms even at a very early stage. Some of the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer can be very similar to less serious conditions such as urinary tract infections or mild abdominal problems. These symptoms include:
What is Ovarian Cancer?
varian cancer occurs when some cells in your ovaries start to rapidly divide uncontrollably, creating growths or tumors around the ovaries and surrounding tissues. According to the American Cancer Association, ovarian cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer among women, and it is estimated that more than 20,000 women will be diagnosed with this type of cancer every year.
Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, which are a keypart of the female reproductive system. All females have two ovaries, each about the size of an almond, which lie on either side of the uterus and are responsible for creating and releasing eggs during the menstrual cycle, as well as producing the two mean female sex hormones: estrogen and progesterone.
Match to Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials
- Access to cutting-edge treatments
- Latest clinical trials
- Find trials in your area
How is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed?
- Bloating
- Indigestion and changes in appetite
- Changes in bowel movements
- Urinary incontinence or increased urge to urinate
- Pain around the pelvis area
- Back pain
- Fatigue
When ovarian cancer is found at its early stages, patients have nearly a 95% chance of living more than five years after their diagnosis. However, only 20% of ovarian cancer cases are found early.
Currently, there are no tests to specifically diagnose ovarian cancer. This type of cancer is usually found during routine checkups when a professional perform a pelvic exam to evaluate the shape, size and any abnormalities in around the uterus and ovaries.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to feel or see any to see or feel any tumors early, which is why most women are diagnosed later. In addition to a pelvic exam, doctors might order a transvaginal ultrasound or a CA-125 blood test.
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
Scientists still aren’t exactly sure about what causes ovarian cancer. As with many other types of cancer, there are a number of risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a woman to develop this kind of cancer, however, have one or even a few of these risk factors doesn’t mean that a person is destined to develop the disease.
These are some risk factors that have been observed in women with ovarian cancer:
Older women seem to be more likely than younger women to develop ovarian cancer. In fact, most women with ovarian cancer have been diagnosed after menopause, and half of all ovarian cancers are diagnosed in women 60 and older.
Researchers have observed that women who continue taking hormones after menopause has ended have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. Additionally, women who have taken estrogen without progesterone for more than five years also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Women with a family history of ovarian cancer (mother, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, etc.) have a higher risk of developing it than those who do not have any family history of ovarian cancer.
Having a high body mass index (BMI) has been linked to several types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. However, researchers are still trying to figure out the relationship between cancer cells and obesity.
Women who have had at least one successful pregnancy before the age of 30 seem to have a decreased risk of developing ovarian cancer, which also appears to decline with the number of children the woman has. On the other hand, women who never had children or had their first child later in life have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
How is Ovarian Cancer Treated?
The treatment course for ovarian cancer depends on the stage the cancer is in. Cancer is categorized in stages in order to describe its size and severity. The stages are as follows:
Depending on which stage the ovarian cancer is found, the doctor and the patient may decide in one – or several treatments to attack cancer cells. Some common ovarian cancer treatments include:
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Clinical trials
Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials
Clinical trials have contributed a lot to the current survival rates of ovarian cancer. However, researchers are still trying to find better screening methods that will allow doctors to find and diagnose ovarian cancer earlier, thus improving the patient’s life expectancy. Scientists are continuously researching new, less invasive treatment options that might potentially cure ovarian cancer.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor or contact your local hospital and/or university to find out which trials are recruiting volunteers near you.
ClinicalTrials.gov: Recruiting Studies | Ovarian Cancer | Last update posted in the last 300 days Studies found on ClinicalTrials.gov by a search of: Recruiting Studies | Ovarian Cancer | Last update posted in the last 300 days
- A Study of NI-1801 in Patients With Mesothelin Expressing Solid Cancerson June 3, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Epithelial Ovarian Cancer; Triple Negative Breast Cancer; Non-squamous Non-small-cell Lung CancerIntervention: Biological: NI-1801Sponsor: NovImmune SARecruiting
- Chemotherapy Supported by Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cellson June 2, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Ovarian CancerIntervention: Other: Autologous blood transfusion with haematopoietic stem cellsSponsor: Chongqing University Cancer HospitalRecruiting
- A Study of DS-9606a in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumorson May 27, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Advanced Cancer; Metastatic Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Germ Cell TumorIntervention: Drug: DS-9606aSponsor: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.Recruiting
- FT536 Monotherapy and in Combination With Monoclonal Antibodies in Advanced Solid Tumorson May 27, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Non Small Cell Lung Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Breast Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Pancreatic Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer; GastroEsophageal CancerInterventions: Drug: FT536; Drug: Cyclophosphamide; Drug: Fludarabine; Drug: IL-2; Combination Product: Avelumab; Combination Product: Pembrolizumab; Combination Product: Nivolumab; Combination Product: Atezolizumab; Combination Product: Trastuzumab; Combination Product: Cetuximab; Combination Product: AmivantamabSponsor: Fate TherapeuticsRecruiting
- A Study of XMT-1660 in Participants With Solid Tumorson May 17, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Triple Negative Breast Cancer; Breast Cancer; Endometrial Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Fallopian Tube Cancer; Primary Peritoneal Cavity CancerIntervention: Drug: XMT-1660Sponsor: Mersana TherapeuticsRecruiting
- Study of LD013 in Subjects With Refractory or Relapsed Mesothelin -Positive Ovarian Canceron May 13, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Ovarian CancerIntervention: Drug: mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cell injectionSponsors: Weijia Fang, MD; Nanjing Blue Shield Biotech Co.,LtdRecruiting
- Efficacy of Primary Debulking Surgery Versus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage IV Ovarian Canceron May 12, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Ovarian CancerInterventions: Drug: Paclitaxel, Carboplatin; Procedure: debulking surgerySponsor: Fudan UniversityRecruiting
- cfMeDIP-seq Assay Prospective Observational Validation for Early Cancer Detection and Minimal Residual Diseaseon May 9, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Brain Cancer; Breast Cancer; Bladder Cancer; Cervical Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Endometrial Cancer; Esophageal Cancer; Stomach Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer; Hepatobiliary Cancer; Leukemia; Lung Cancer; Lymphoma; Multiple Myeloma; Ovarian Cancer; Pancreatic Cancer; Prostate Cancer; Renal Cancer; Sarcoma; Thyroid CancerIntervention: Sponsor: Adela, Inc.Recruiting
- A Study of [225Ac]-FPI-1966 in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumourson May 6, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Advanced Solid Tumor; Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Bladder Carcinoma; Susceptible FGFR3 Genetic Alterations; FGFR3; FGFR3 Overexpression; FGFR3 Receptor; FGFR3 Protein Overexpression; Ovarian Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Breast Cancer; Liver Cancer; Lung Cancer; Gastric CancerInterventions: Drug: [225Ac]-FPI-1966; Drug: [111In]-FPI-1967; Biological: vofatamabSponsor: Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.Recruiting
- The Possible Influence of Different Follow-up Modalities on Overall Survival in Ovarian Canceron April 28, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Ovarian NeoplasmsIntervention: Device: Mobile app ovarian cancer followup (ePRO)Sponsors: Stiftung Swiss Tumor Institute; Klinik Hirslanden, Zurich; Manja Gideon FoundationRecruiting
- Connecting Audio and Radio Sensing Systems to Improve Care at Homeon April 25, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Colorectal Cancer; Bladder Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Cervical Cancer; Uterine CancerIntervention: Behavioral: Audio + Radio (AURA)Sponsor: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer CenterRecruiting
- A Clinical Study Evaluating a Combination of Oregovomab and Niraparib in Adult Women With Platinum Sensitive Recurrent Ovarian Cancer.on April 20, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Recurrent Ovarian Cancer; Recurrent Epithelial Cancer of Ovary; Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer; Recurrent Fallopian Tube Cancer; Peritoneal Cancer; Recurrent Carcinoma of Ovary; Adenocarcinoma of OvaryInterventions: Biological: Oregovomab; Drug: NiraparibSponsors: OncoQuest Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Veristat, LLCRecruiting
Match to Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials
- Access to cutting-edge treatments
- Latest clinical trials
- Find trials in your area
- Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer. American Cancer Society (April 11, 2018). Recovered from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/about/key-statistics.html