Ovarian Cancer (OC)

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MedlinePlus: ⁴¹ What is ovarian cancer? Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control and form a tumor. Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor that forms in the tissues of an ovary. The ovaries are a pair of female reproductive glands that make eggs and female hormones. What are the types of ovarian cancer? There are a few different types of ovarian cancer. The most common type is epithelial cancer. It begins in the cells that cover the ovary. There are also two related types of epithelial cancer that can spread to the ovaries: Fallopian tube cancer forms in the tissue lining a fallopian tube. The fallopian tubes are a pair of long, slender tubes on each side of the uterus. The uterus is the female reproductive organ where a baby grows during pregnancy. Primary peritoneal cancer forms in the tissue lining the peritoneum. Your peritoneum is a tissue lining that covers the organs in the abdomen (belly). These two cancers are similar to ovarian cancer, and they have the same treatments. So some medical experts also consider those two types as ovarian cancer. Some other rarer types of ovarian cancer are malignant germ cell tumors and stromal tumors. What causes ovarian cancer? Ovarian cancer happens when there are changes (mutations) in the genetic material (DNA). Often, the exact cause of these genetic changes is unknown. Most ovarian cancers are caused by genetic changes that happen during your lifetime. But sometimes these genetic changes are inherited, meaning that you are born with them. Ovarian cancer that is caused by inherited genetic changes is called hereditary ovarian cancer. There are also certain genetic changes that can raise your risk of ovarian cancer, including changes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These two changes also raise your risk of breast and other cancers. Besides genetics, your lifestyle and the environment can affect your risk of ovarian cancer. Who is more likely to develop ovarian cancer? Certain people are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. They include those who: Have a family history of ovarian cancer in a mother, daughter, or sister Have inherited changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Have certain other genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome Have endometriosis Took hormone replacement therapy Are overweight or have obesity Are tall Are older, especially those who have gone through menopause What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer? Ovarian cancer may not cause early signs or symptoms. By the time you do have signs or symptoms, the cancer is often advanced. The signs and symptoms may include: Pain, swelling, or a feeling of pressure in the abdomen or pelvis Sudden or frequent urge to urinate (pee) Trouble eating or feeling full A lump in the pelvic area Gastrointestinal problems, such as gas, bloating, or constipation How is ovarian cancer diagnosed? To find out if you have ovarian cancer, your health care provider: Will ask about your medical history, including your symptoms Will ask about your family health history, including relatives who have had ovarian cancer Will do a physical exam, including a pelvic exam Will likely do imaging tests May do blood tests such as a CA-125 blood test Often the only way to know for sure that you have ovarian cancer is by having a biopsy of the tissue. A biopsy is done during surgery to remove the tumor. What are the treatments for ovarian cancer? Treatments for ovarian cancer may include: Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible Chemotherapy Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells Your provider may suggest that you have genetic testing to look for the gene changes that raise the risk for ovarian cancer. Knowing whether or not you have the gene change may help your provider decide on your treatment plan. NIH: National Cancer Institute

MalaCards based summary: Ovarian Cancer, also known as ovarian carcinoma, is related to hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome and breast cancer, and has symptoms including pelvic pain An important gene associated with Ovarian Cancer is PIK3CA (Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate 3-Kinase Catalytic Subunit Alpha), and among its related pathways/superpathways are Gene expression (Transcription) and ERK Signaling. The drugs Aprepitant and Crofelemer have been mentioned in the context of this disorder. Affiliated tissues include ovary, breast and uterus, and related phenotypes are breast carcinoma and dysgerminoma

MedlinePlus Genetics: ⁴² Ovarian cancer is a disease that affects women. In this form of cancer, certain cells in the ovary become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumor. The ovaries are the female reproductive organs in which egg cells are produced. In about 90 percent of cases, ovarian cancer occurs after age 40, and most cases occur after age 60.The most common form of ovarian cancer begins in epithelial cells, which are the cells that line the surfaces and cavities of the body. These cancers can arise in the epithelial cells on the surface of the ovary. However, researchers suggest that many or even most ovarian cancers begin in epithelial cells on the fringes (fimbriae) at the end of one of the fallopian tubes, and the cancerous cells migrate to the ovary.Cancer can also begin in epithelial cells that form the lining of the abdomen (the peritoneum). This form of cancer, called primary peritoneal cancer, resembles epithelial ovarian cancer in its origin, symptoms, progression, and treatment. Primary peritoneal cancer often spreads to the ovaries. It can also occur even if the ovaries have been removed. Because cancers that begin in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum are so similar and spread easily from one of these structures to the others, they are often difficult to distinguish. These cancers are so closely related that they are generally considered collectively by experts.In about 10 percent of cases, ovarian cancer develops not in epithelial cells but in germ cells, which are precursors to egg cells, or in hormone-producing ovarian cells called granulosa cells.In its early stages, ovarian cancer usually does not cause noticeable symptoms. As the cancer progresses, signs and symptoms can include pain or a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis or lower abdomen, bloating, feeling full quickly when eating, back pain, vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods or after menopause, or changes in urinary or bowel habits. However, these changes can occur as part of many different conditions. Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean that a woman has ovarian cancer.In some cases, cancerous tumors can invade surrounding tissue and spread to other parts of the body. If ovarian cancer spreads, cancerous tumors most often appear in the abdominal cavity or on the surfaces of nearby organs such as the bladder or colon. Tumors that begin at one site and then spread to other areas of the body are called metastatic cancers.Some ovarian cancers cluster in families. These cancers are described as hereditary and are associated with inherited gene mutations. Hereditary ovarian cancers tend to develop earlier in life than non-inherited (sporadic) cases.Because it is often diagnosed at a late stage, ovarian cancer can be difficult to treat; it leads to the deaths of about 14,000 women annually in the United States, more than any other gynecological cancer. However, when it is diagnosed and treated early, the 5-year survival rate is high.

CDC: ² Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. Ovarian cancer is a group of diseases that originates in the ovaries, or in the related areas of the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum. Women have two ovaries that are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries make female hormones and produce eggs. Women have two fallopian tubes that are a pair of long, slender tubes on each side of the uterus. Eggs pass from the ovaries through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. The peritoneum is the tissue lining that covers organs in the abdomen. When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment works best. Ovarian cancer often causes signs and symptoms, so it is important to pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you. Symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Some mutations (changes in genes) can raise your risk for ovarian cancer. Mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes 1 and 2 (BRCA1 and BRCA2), and those associated with Lynch syndrome, raise ovarian cancer risk. Ovarian cancers come in a variety of different tumor types. The most common tumor type is high-grade serous carcinoma, occurring in about 70% of ovarian cancer cases.

GARD: ¹⁹ Ovarian cancer is a form of cancer that occurs due to abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth in the ovaries. Many people with early Ovarian cancer have no signs or symptoms of the condition. When present, symptoms are often nonspecific and blamed on other, more common conditions. Most cases of Ovarian cancer occur sporadically in people with little to no family history of the condition; however, approximately 10-25% of Ovarian cancers are thought to be "hereditary." Although the underlying genetic cause of some hereditary cases is unknown, many are part of a hereditary cancer syndrome (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 hereditary breast and Ovarian cancer syndrome, Lynch syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome) and are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.

OMIM®: ⁵⁷ Ovarian cancer, the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy, is characterized by advanced presentation with loco-regional dissemination in the peritoneal cavity and the rare incidence of visceral metastases (Chi et al., 2001). These typical features relate to the biology of the disease, which is a principal determinant of outcome (Auersperg et al., 2001). Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common form and encompasses 5 major histologic subtypes: papillary serous, endometrioid, mucinous, clear cell, and transitional cell. Epithelial ovarian cancer arises as a result of genetic alterations sustained by the ovarian surface epithelium (Stany et al., 2008; Soslow, 2008). (167000) (Updated 08-Dec-2022)

UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot: ⁷³ The term ovarian cancer defines malignancies originating from ovarian tissue. Although many histologic types of ovarian tumors have been described, epithelial ovarian carcinoma is the most common form. Ovarian cancers are often asymptomatic and the recognized signs and symptoms, even of late-stage disease, are vague. Consequently, most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease.

Novus Biologicals: ⁵⁴ Tumor markers can be found in the body when cancer is present. They are most often found in the blood or urine, but can also be found in tumors and other tissues. High level of the tumor marker CA125 in the blood strongly suggests ovarian cancer. CA125 is an antigen present on 80% of non-mucinous ovarian carcinomas.

Disease Ontology ¹¹ Ovarian cancer: A female reproductive organ cancer that is located in the ovary.

Ovarian carcinoma: An ovarian cancer that has material basis in epithelial tissue and is located in the ovary.

Wikipedia: ⁷⁵ Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly... more...

Clinical features from OMIM®:

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