Ovarian Cancer Papers

Ovarian Cancer
Monica Zillinger

Abstract Ovarian cancer is one of the leading reproductive cancers in the United States. Cancer is the formation of cells, or tumors, in the ovaries that negatively affect surrounding tissue and do harm to the rest of the body. Ovarian cancer is cancer of the ovaries, the female reproductive organ. Ovarian cancer only affects women. Ovarian cancer can affect any woman that ovulates, or releases eggs through the ovary tract. There are methods to prevent ovarian cancer or decrease the chances of developing it. Ovarian cancer is mostly treatable, but survival rates decrease in the later stages. There are several treatment options depending on each patient’s circumstance and situation,
Mitosis occurs at a constant rate, normally. Compared to healthy cells, cancer cells grow at an uncontrolled rate. The cancerous cells form a mass called a malignant tumor, which become dangerous to surrounding healthy tissue. When a tumor forms in the ovaries of a female patient, it is classified as ovarian cancer. Ovaries are the female reproductive tract that produce hormones and release egg cells. Ovarian cancer cells harm the body because they invade and even destroy the cells nearby (Gershenson). If not treated, ovarian cancer is a serious threat to a woman’s health. Cancerous ovaries are typically inflamed and enlarged with a tumor or cyst that can lead to the spread of cancer throughout the body if not treated properly. Ovarian cancer can be classified as either epithelial (tumors on the outside lining of the ovaries) , which is most common, or stromal (tumors inside the ovary). Stromal types of ovarian cancer are less common, happening only 5% of the time, while the epithelial type happens more commonly to those diagnosed with ovarian
Chemotherapy uses chemical compounds to either kill or slow the growth of cancer cells (Miller & Levine, 2010). It causes many side affects because it does not always affect only cancerous cells; chemotherapy can harm healthy cells surrounding the unhealthy ones. It is still being perfected, but the many side affects are balanced by the chance of treating and curing the cancer. More often than not, surgery is required for ovarian cancer. The tumors are removed by surgical procedures, and most of the time the ovary survives. Sometimes, the ovary must be removed through. Another treatment option is radiation. Similar to chemotherapy treatment, the cancerous cells are specified and aimed at in radiation treatment. The radiation method is effective due to the fact that it takes advantage of cancer cells and their need to replicate quickly and prevents that with radiation