What Is Ovarian Cancer?

What Is Ovarian Cancer?

This cancer begins in the ovaries, the twin organs that produce a woman's eggs and the main source of  the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Treatments for ovarian cancer have become more effective in recent years, with the best results seen when the disease is found early.

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Bloating or pressure in the belly
• Pain in the abdomen or pelvis
• Feeling full too quickly during meals
• Urinating more frequently

These symptoms can be caused by many conditions that are not cancer. If they occur daily for more than a few weeks, report them to your health care professional.

Risk Factor: Family History

A woman's odds of developing ovarian cancer are higher if a close relative has had cancer of the ovaries, breast, or colon. Researchers believe that inherited genetic changes account for 10% of ovarian cancers. This includes the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked to breast cancer.  Women with a strong family history should talk with a doctor to see whether closer medical follow-up could be helpful.

Risk Factor: Age

The  strongest risk factor for ovarian cancer is age. It's most likely to develop after a woman goes through menopause. Using postmenopausal hormone therapy may increase the risk. The link seems strongest in women who take estrogen without progesterone for at least 5 to 10 years. Doctors are not certain whether taking a combination of estrogen and progesterone boosts the risk as well.

Risk Factor: Obesity

Obese women have a higher risk of getting ovarian cancer than other women. And the death rates for ovarian cancer are higher for obese women too, compared with non-obese women. The heaviest women appear to have the greatest risk.

Ovarian Cancer Screening Tests

There are two ways to screen for ovarian cancer before it causes symptoms or shows up during a routine gynecologic exam. One is a blood test for elevated levels of a protein called CA-125. The other is an ultrasound of the ovaries. Unfortunately, neither technique has been shown to save lives when used in women of average risk. For this reason, screening is only recommended for women with strong risk factors.

Diagnosing Ovarian Cancer

Imaging tests, such as ultrasound or CT scans (seen here), can help reveal an ovarian mass. But these scans can't determine whether the abnormality is cancer. If cancer is suspected, the next step is usually surgery to remove suspicious tissues. A sample is then sent to the lab for further examination. This is called a biopsy. Sometimes a sample taken with a needle can also be used for diagnosis.

Stages of Ovarian Cancer

The initial surgery for ovarian cancer also helps determine how far the cancer has spread, described by the following stages:

Stage I: Confined to one or both ovaries
Stage II: Spread to the uterus or other nearby organs
Stage III: Spread to the lymph nodes or abdominal lining
Stage IV: Spread to distant organs, such as the lungs or liver

Types of Ovarian Cancer

The vast majority of ovarian cancers are epithelial ovarian carcinomas. These are malignant tumors that form from cells on the surface of the ovary. Some epithelial tumors are not clearly cancerous. These are known as tumors of low malignant potential (LMP). LMP tumors grow more slowly and are less dangerous than other forms of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates

Ovarian cancer can be a frightening diagnosis, with five-year relative survival rates that range from 89% to 18% for epithelial ovarian cancer, depending on the stage when the cancer was found. But keep in mind that these odds are based on women diagnosed from 1988 to 2001. The treatments and outlook may be better for people diagnosed today. For LMP tumors, the five-year relative survival rates range from 99% to 77%.

Ovarian Cancer Surgery

Surgery is used to diagnose ovarian cancer and determine its stage, but it is also the first phase of treatment. The goal is to remove as much of the cancer as possible. This may include a single ovary and nearby tissue in stage I. In more advanced stages, it may be necessary to remove both ovaries, along with the uterus and surrounding tissues.

Chemotherapy

In all stages of ovarian cancer, chemotherapy is usually given after surgery. This phase of treatment uses drugs to target and kill any remaining cancer in the body. The drugs may be given by mouth, through an IV, or directly into the belly (intraperitoneal chemotherapy.) Women with LMP tumors usually don't need chemo unless the tumors grow back after surgery.

rgeted Therapies

Researchers are working on therapies that target the way ovarian cancer grows. A process called angiogenesis involves the formation of new blood vessels to feed tumors. A drug called Avastin blocks this process, causing tumors to shrink or stop growing (seen in the illustration here). Avastin is approved for other cancers, but ovarian cancer researchers are still testing this therapy, which can have serious side effects.

After Treatment: Early Menopause

When women have both ovaries removed, they can no longer produce their own estrogen. This triggers menopause, no matter how young the patient. The drop in hormone levels can also raise the risk for certain medical conditions, including osteoporosis. It's vital that women have regular follow-up care after being treated for ovarian cancer.

Abdominal Pain

Just about everybody at one point or another will experience abdominal pain. Most of the causes are not serious and can be readily diagnosed and treated. However, pain can also be a sign of a serious illness. It's important to be able to recognize symptoms that are severe and know when to call a doctor.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Whether it's a mild stomach ache, sharp pain, or stomach cramps, abdominal pain can have numerous causes. Some of the more common causes include:

• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Stomach virus
• Menstrual cramps
• Food poisoning
• Food allergies
• Gas
• Lactose intolerance
• Ulcers
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Hernia
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Endometriosis
• Crohn's disease
• Urinary tract infection
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Appendicitis

What Symptoms of Abdominal Pain Are Cause for Concern?

If your abdominal pain is severe or if it is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider as soon as possible:

• Fever
• Inability to keep food down for several days
• Inability to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
• Painful or unusually frequent urination
• The abdomen is tender to the touch
• The pain is the result of an injury to the abdomen
• The pain lasts for several days

These symptoms can be an indication of an internal problem that requires treatment as soon as possible.

Seek immediate medical care for abdominal pain if you:

• Vomit blood
• Have bloody stools
• Have difficulty breathing
• Have pain occurring during pregnancy

How Is the Cause of Abdominal Pain Determined?

Because there are so many potential causes of abdominal pain, your health care provider will perform a thorough physical exam, discuss with you the type of symptoms you are experiencing, and ask you several questions about the pain you are feeling. These questions may include:

• What type of pain are you experiencing? Is the pain throughout your abdomen or is it confined to a particular area?
• Where in your abdomen does the pain seem to be located?
• What type of pain are you experiencing? Is it stabbing and severe? Is it a dull ache?
• When does the pain occur? Always? More often in the morning or at night? If the pain comes and goes, about how long does it last each time? Does it occur after eating certain types of foods or after drinking alcohol? During menstruation?
• How long have you had this pain?
• Does the pain also radiate into your lower back, shoulder, groin, or buttocks?
• Are you currently taking any medications or herbal supplements?
• Are you pregnant?
• Does any activity such as eating or lying on one side relieve the pain?
• Have you been injured recently?

Once an initial evaluation has been completed, your health care provider may have you undergo some tests to help find the cause of your pain. These may include stool or urine tests, blood tests, barium swallows or enemas, an endoscopy, X-ray,ultrasound, or CT scan.

How Is Abdominal Pain Treated?

Treating abdominal pain depends on its cause. Treatments can range from medications for inflammation, GERD, or ulcers, to antibiotics for infections, to changes in personal behavior for abdominal pain caused by certain foods or beverages. In some cases, such as appendicitis and a hernia, surgery is necessary.

Gallstones

Gallstones form in the gallbladder, a small organ located under the liver. The gallbladder aids in the digestive process by storing bile and secreting it into the small intestine when food enters. Bile is a fluid produced by the liver and is made up of several substances, including cholesterol, bilirubin, and bile salts.

What Are Gallstones?

Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder. These stones develop because cholesterol and pigments in bile sometimes form hard particles.

The two main types of gallstones are:

• Cholesterol stones: Usually yellow-green in color, approximately 80% of gallstones are cholesterol stones.
• Pigment stones: These stones are smaller and darker and are made up of bilirubin.

What Causes Gallstones?

Several factors may come together to create gallstones, including:

• Genetics
• Body weight
• Decreased motility (movement) of the gallbladder
• Diet

Gallstones can form when there is an imbalance in the substances that make up bile. For instance, cholesterol stones may develop as a result of too much cholesterol in the bile. Another cause may be the inability of the gallbladder to empty properly.

Pigment stones are more common in people with certain medical conditions, such as cirrhosis (a liver disease in which scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue) or blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia.

What Are the Risk Factors for Gallstones?

Risk factors for getting gallstones include:

• Genetics. If other people in your family have had gallstones, you are at increased risk of developing gallstones.
• Obesity. This is one of the biggest risk factors. Obesity can cause a rise in cholesterol and can also keep the gallbladder from emptying completely.
• Estrogen. Estrogen can increase cholesterol and reduce gallbladder motility. Women who are pregnant or who take birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy have higher levels of estrogen and may be more likely to develop gallstones.
• Ethnic background. Certain ethnic groups, including Native Americans and Mexican-Americans, are more likely to develop gallstones.
• Gender and age. Gallstones are more common among women and older people.
• Cholesterol drugs. Some cholesterol-lowering drugs increase the amount of cholesterol in bile, which may increase the chances of developing cholesterol stones.
• Diabetes. People with diabetes tend to have higher levels of triglycerides (a type of blood fat), which is a risk factor for gallstones.
• Rapid weight loss. If a person loses weight too quickly, his or her liver secretes extra cholesterol, which may lead to gallstones. Also, fasting may cause the gallbladder to contract less.

What Are the Symptoms of Gallstones?

Gallstones often don't cause symptoms. Those that don't are called "silent stones." A person usually learns he or she has gallstones while being examined for another illness.

When symptoms do appear, they may include:

• Pain in the upper abdomen and upper back. The pain may last for several hours.
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Other gastrointestinal problems, including bloating, indigestion and heartburn, and gas

What are the symptoms of Gallstones?

The most common symptom of gallstones is pain in thestomach area or in the upper right part of the belly, under the ribs.

The pain may:

• Start suddenly in the center of the upper belly (epigastric area) and spread to the right upper back or shoulder blade area. It is usually hard to get comfortable. Moving around does not make the pain go away.
• Prevent you from taking normal or deep breaths.
• Last 15 minutes to 24 hours. Continuous pain for 1 to 5 hours is common.
• Begin at night and be severe enough to wake you.
• Occur after meals.

Gallstone pain can cause vomiting, which may relieve some of the belly (abdominal) pain and pressure. Pain that occurs with a fever, nausea, and vomiting or loss of appetite may be a sign of inflammation or infection of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis). Symptoms that may mean that a gallstone is blocking the common bile duct include:

• Yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes(jaundice).
• Dark urine.
• Light-colored stools.
• A fever and chills.

There are many other conditions that cause similar symptoms, including heartburn, pain caused by a heart attack, and liver problems. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) andfood poisoning also can cause symptoms similar to gallstones. Diarrhea and vomiting occur with the flu and food poisoning, but the pain tends to come and go rather than be constant. Also, pain with these conditions may be felt all over the belly, rather than in one spot.

Belly pain that comes and goes (rather than being constant) and that occurs with nausea and vomiting and possibly a mild fever is more likely to be caused by stomach flu or food poisoning than by gallstones. This is especially true if others around you are sick with similar symptoms.

This answer should not be considered medical advice and should not take the place of a doctor’s visit.

Questions and Answers About Chemotherapy

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.

How does chemotherapy work?

Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. But it can also harm healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that line your mouth and intestines or cause your hair to grow. Damage to healthy cells may cause side effects. Often, side effects get better or go away after chemotherapy is over.

What does chemotherapy do?

Depending on your type of cancer and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can:

• Cure cancer - when chemotherapy destroys cancer cells to the point that your doctor can no longer detect them in your body and they will not grow back.
  
• Control cancer - when chemotherapy keeps cancer from spreading, slows its growth, or destroys cancer cells that have spread to other parts of your body.
  
• Ease cancer symptoms (also called palliative care) - when chemotherapy shrinks tumors that are causing pain or pressure.

How is chemotherapy used?

Sometimes, chemotherapy is used as the only cancer treatment. But more often, you will get chemotherapy along with surgery, radiation therapy, or biological therapy. Chemotherapy can:

• Make a tumor smaller before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
• Destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or radiation therapy. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
• Help radiation therapy and biological therapy work better.
  
• Destroy cancer cells that have come back (recurrent cancer) or spread to other parts of your body (metastatic cancer).

How does my doctor decide which chemotherapy drugs to use?

This choice depends on:

• The type of cancer you have. Some types of chemotherapy drugs are used for many types of cancer. Other drugs are used for just one or two types of cancer.
  
• Whether you have had chemotherapy before
  
• Whether you have other health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease

Where do I go for chemotherapy?

You may receive chemotherapy during a hospital stay, at home, or in a doctor's office, clinic, or outpatient unit in a hospital (which means you do not have to stay overnight). No matter where you go for chemotherapy, your doctor and nurse will watch for side effects and make any needed drug changes.

How often will I receive chemotherapy?

Treatment schedules for chemotherapy vary widely. How often and how long you get chemotherapy depends on:

• Your type of cancer and how advanced it is
  
• The goals of treatment (whether chemotherapy is used to cure your cancer, control its growth, or ease the symptoms)
  
• The type of chemotherapy
  
• How your body reacts to chemotherapy

You may receive chemotherapy in cycles. A cycle is a period of chemotherapy treatment followed by a period of rest. For instance, you might receive 1 week of chemotherapy followed by 3 weeks of rest. These 4 weeks make up one cycle. The rest period gives your body a chance to build new healthy cells.

Chemotherapy: What to Expect

With chemotherapy treatment, drugs are used to destroy cancer cells. Unlikeradiation or surgery that target specific areas, chemotherapy can work throughout your body. It targets cells that grow and divide quickly, as cancer cells do. But some fast-dividing healthy cells can also be affected, like those of skin, hair, intestines, and bone marrow. Side effects can be brought on by the chemo’s impact on healthy cells.

Getting Ready for Chemotherapy

Each situation may have a different chemotherapy plan. You may be treated with just one type of chemo drug or several. You may go through one treatment cycle, or more. Chemo might be your only cancer treatment, or it could be used along with surgery or radiation.

You and your doctor will decide together the treatment that's best for you. The decision will be based on:

• The type of cancer you have
• The stage of your cancer
• Your overall health
• Your previous cancer treatments
• Your goals and preferences

Keep a list of questions, and bring it when you visit your doctor. To help you remember details, you may want to bring a relative or friend to your appointment.  

Bring a list of all the medications and supplements you take, as they may alter the effects of chemo. Your doctor can tell you if you should stop taking any of those drugs before your chemotherapy begins.  And tell your doctor about any health concerns you have before you undergo treatment.

How Chemotherapy Is Given

Depending on the type of chemo drugs you will take, the dose, your hospital, and your insurance, you might get your treatment in any of the following places:

• Your home
• The doctor's office
• The hospital
• The hospital's outpatient unit
• A clinic 

How you will get your chemo treatment depends on the type of drug you will be taking.  You could be given:  

• A pill or capsule
• A cream or gel you apply directly to the skin
• An injection or infusion

Sometimes the drug will be given through a catheter, a thin tube a surgeon inserts into a large vein often through the chest. The tube is left in place until chemotherapy is over.

In some cases, the catheter is attached to a small disc under your skin, called a port. A nurse will put a needle into the port to deliver the drug.

The drug can also be put directly into the tumor, either as an injection or a small disk implanted near the tumor releasing the drugs over time.

Special Olympics Selangor (SOS'gor) Office Barrier for the term of 2014-2016.

Special Olympics Selangor (SOS'gor) Office Barrier for the term of 2014-2016.

They was elected in the Society's AGM on Mac 16th 2014 @ United Voice.

Chairman: Mr Soo Kam Son.
Vice Chairman: Miss Christine Foo.
Secretary: Mdm Su Lan Eng.
Treasurer: Mrs Leong Foo Siew Fan.

Committee Member:
-Mrs Wairah Marzuki.
-Miss Darshini (Malaysian Care rep)
-Mrs Wong Suit Wah.
-Mr George Mani.
-Mrs Chew (forgoted her mid & last name-apology).
-Miss Kong Lan Lee.
-Mrs Lee Lan Mee.
-Miss Yeoh Lee Lee.

Committee from athletes (one post) will be announce later in the society's 1st committee meeting afterwards.

What is PKU (Phenylketonurics) : And Who Should AWARE

What is PKU? 

by Dr. Tracy L. Beck, Ph.D.

Have you ever looked at the label on a diet soda can and seen the warning: Phenylketonurics - contains phenylalanine? I personally know of several people who refuse to drink diet soda because the word "phenylketonurics" sounds too scary! What does "phenylketonurics" mean? Is it something you can catch from diet soda?

Well, let me take the opportunity to answer these questions. 

"Phenylketonurics" is NOT something you can catch from diet soda! This long, scary-sounding word is included in a warning at the end of the ingredients list on some products, but it is NOT an ingredient these products. "Phenylketonurics" is the term used to refer to people that have the metabolic disorder Phenylketonuria, or PKU for short. So - kind of like how the word "diabetics" refers to people that have "diabetes", "phenylketonurics" refers to the people that have "phenylketonuria". I myself, am one of these phenylketonurics and the warning on diet soda cans is included merely to inform people like me that the product contains the synthetic chemical ASPARTAME . People that have the disorder PKU cannot consume any product that contains aspartame, for reasons which I will elaborate on below.

Two additional questions that people often ask when they learn of the true meaning of the warning label on diet soda are - Do I have PKU? How do I know that I don't have PKU? Well, if you have reached an age where you have the desire to drink diet soda and you still have the mental capacity to question whether or not you have PKU, the odds are that you don't have the disorder.

Phenylketonuria is a genetic metabolic disorder that results when the PKU gene is inherited from both parents. When babies are born in the United States, a heel stick blood test is done to test for various disorders - PKU is one of the disorders that is tested for. It is very rare, in the US an average of 1 in 15,000 babies is born with the disorder (this number varies from region to region). If a baby is tested positive for PKU at birth, a follow up test is done a few days later. Out of 500 babies which do test positive for PKU on the first test, on average only one will actually have the disorder.

So, what is PKU? What happens to people that have it?

People with PKU have a deficiency of an enzyme which is necessary for the proper metabolism of an amino acid called Phenylalanine (i.e., the component in diet soda included in the warning). Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and it is found in nearly all foods which contain protein: meat (of all kinds), dairy products, nuts, beans, tofu... the list goes on and on. Additionally, phenylalanine is found in aspartame, the sweetener found in most diet soft drinks and sugar-free candies/gum - hence the need for the warning on the labels of these products. Those of us that have PKU must follow a strict "low protein" diet to avoid all food sources that have high phenylalanine content. To get adequate amounts of other amino acids found in protein (without the damaging phenylalanine), people with PKU also have to take a special formula which is usually in the form of a liquid beverage.

If those of us that have PKU do not follow a strict low protein diet, phenylalanine is not adequately digested in our bodies and it builds up in our blood in the form of an acid called phenylpyruvic acid. High levels of phenylpyruvic acid damage the brain and can cause an array of side effects - mental retardation, the loss of pigmentation in the skin/hair/eyes (people with untreated PKU often have light skin, blond hair and blue eyes), a "mousy" or musty odor, muscle aches and pains and in extreme cases, even seizures. Depending on the severity of the PKU, babies who were not treated for the disorder and put on the special diet at birth run the risk of suffering irreversible mental retardation within the first year of life.

PKU is certainly a detrimental disorder if not treated properly, but the prognosis isn't nearly as grim as the preceding paragraph suggests. If babies are put on the low protein diet at a young age, and they follow the diet throughout life, there is no evidence that their PKU will be a major hindrance in their accomplishments. In fact, in some cases, (myself included) people with PKU view their disorder as being a positive trait, one which has taught them to be more self-disciplined.

In the past, children were taken off the low protein PKU diet at age 5 or 6 because it was believed that at this age the brain had developed to the point where elevated levels of phenylpyruvic acid in the blood would not cause severe health problems. These children are now adults; many of them have noticed health problems and have decided, of their own accord, to return to the PKU diet. These days, most doctors that provide care for PKU patients preach that the low protein PKU diet should be a way of life and, if we value our health and well-being, those of us with the disorder should never stray from it.

One question that I often get asked by people who read this webpage - "Is phenylalanine harmful to people that don't have PKU?". If phenylalanine is in it's natural form, then the answer to this question is a great big resounding NO. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that is in nearly all proteins - meats, dairy products, eggs, nuts, legumes... etc. Some researchers claim that the amino acid phenylalanine is a natural muscle relaxer and sleep aid. & I've heard a rumor that this could be why turkey, which is a high phenylalanine food, always seems to make people sleepy (in addition to the amino acid tryptophan, which is also a natural sleep aid). For people without PKU or other metabolic disorders, it is very important to eat a balanced diet, and this certainly includes high protein (high phenylalanine) foods.

The synthesized chemical called ASPARTAME is the artificial sweetener that is used in many kinds of diet soda, sugar-free candies and gums, and many other sugar-free products. Aspartame has phenylalanine as an ingredient, but is itself a completely different chemical. It is believed that aspartame can cause a wide range of side effects - from stomach problems, to headaches, nausea and skin rashes. This chemical is considered to be very unsafe by many people (including medical professionals). I have seen the effects of aspartame toxicity and have discussed symptoms of aspartame poisoning with literally hundreds of people who have found this website. Based on the number of emails I have received from people like yourself who have found this webpage, I believe that aspartame poisoning is much more common than people realize.

I want to note that I am NOT a medical professional (my Ph.D. is in Astronomy, not medicine), and you should never make important decisions about your health without the guidance of a medical specialist. However, if you think you may be experiencing effects of aspartame poisoning, I recommend an easy test - avoid all aspartame containing products for 1 month. If your symptoms are caused by aspartame poisoning then you should feel better within this month. However, if your symptoms persist and do not disappear in this time, then you should seek immediate medical assistance to determine the true nature of your problems.

I hope this helps! I hope this webpage has answered some of the questions you originally went searching for regarding the scary-sounding warning: Phenylketonurics - Contains Phenylalanine! Please feel free to send me an email:kineala@mac.com with comments/suggestions on your case or on improving this website. Thanks for visiting!

Thanks Dr. Tracy L. Beck, Ph.D. for sharing