Six Ovarian Cancer Risk Genes Identified

Researchers have identified six ovarian cancer risk genes. This could help increase the chance of prevention.

A team of international scientists have identified six genes that increase a woman’s likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. 

The discovery by Brisbane’s Berghofer Medical Research Institute and the University of Cambridge could help researchers find new ways to treat and possibly prevent the disease. 

An Australian woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about one in 100. The cancer has been referred to as a silent killer because many times it is not detected until it is at an advanced stage. 

“The problem is that the most lethal form seems to be the most difficult to detect,” said the head of the institute’s cancer program, Professor Georgia Chenevix-Trench. “It seems to rise very quickly and give you a very narrow window of opportunity to make the diagnosis before it spreads.” 

A woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer is greatly increased if she inherits a harmful mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. 

The six new variants, or “typos”, identified have a more subtle impact than the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, according to Chenevix-Trench. “Individually, each of these typos increases the risk of cancer by a very small amount,” she said. 

“However, if a woman carries a large number of these typos her risk of developing ovarian cancer may be as high as that conferred by mutations in BRCA1 or 2.”
The actor Angelina Jolie has had a double mastectomy because she has the faulty BRCA1 gene. 

“This finding would be particularly relevant to people like Angelina Jolie because in time we should be able to give much more precise estimates of what their ovarian cancer is and that should help them decide when they want to have prophylactic surgery, if at all.”

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The Stages of Ovarian Cancer

Learn how ovarian cancer progresses

Stages of ovarian and fallopian tube cancer

Once a patient's T, N, and M categories have been determined, this information is combined in a process called stage grouping to determine the stage, expressed in Roman numerals from stage I (the least advanced stage) to stage IV (the most advanced stage). Many stages are divided into substages designated by adding letters and sometimes additional numbers to the Roman numerals.

Stage I

The cancer is only within the ovary (or ovaries) or fallopian tube(s). It has not spread to organs and tissues in the abdomen or pelvis, lymph nodes, or to distant sites.

Stage IA (T1a, N0, M0): Cancer has developed in one ovary, and the tumor is confined to the inside of the ovary; or the cancer has developed in one fallopian tube, and is only inside the fallopian tube. There is no cancer on the outer surface of the ovary or fallopian tube. Laboratory examination of washings from the abdomen and pelvis did not find any cancer cells.

Stage IB (T1b, N0, M0): Cancer has developed in both ovaries or fallopian tubes but not on their outer surfaces. Laboratory examination of washings from the abdomen and pelvis did not find any cancer cells.

Stage IC (T1c, N0, M0): The cancer is present in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes and any of the following are present:

The tissue (capsule) surrounding the tumor broke during surgery, which could allow cancer cells to leak into the abdomen and pelvis (called surgical spill). This is stage IC1.

Cancer is on the outer surface of at least one of the ovaries or fallopian tubes or the capsule (tissue surrounding the tumor) has ruptured (burst) before surgery (which could allow cancer cells to spill into the abdomen and pelvis). This is stage IC2

Laboratory examination found cancer cells in fluid or washings from the abdomen. This is stage IC3.

Stage II

The cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes and has spread to other organs (such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, the sigmoid colon, or the rectum) within the pelvis. It has not spread to lymph nodes or distant sites.

Stage IIA (T2a, N0, M0): Either

Cancer that started in the ovaries has spread to or has invaded (grown into) the uterus or the fallopian tubes, or both,

that started in the fallopian tubes has spread to the ovaries, the uterus or both.

Stage IIB (T2b, N0, M0): The cancer has grown into other nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder, the sigmoid colon, or the rectum.

Stage III

The cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes, and one or both of the following are present:

has spread beyond the pelvis to the lining of the abdomen

has spread to lymph nodes in the back of the abdomen (retroperitoneal lymph nodes)

Stage IIIA1 (T1 or T2, N1, M0): Cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes, and it may have spread or grown into nearby organs in the pelvis. Areas of cancer spread are found in retroperitoneal lymph nodes, but there are no other areas of cancer spread.

IIIA1(i): the areas of cancer spread in the lymph nodes is 10 mm (millimeters) across or smaller

IIIA1(ii): the areas of cancer spread in the lymph nodes is greater than 10 mm across

Stage IIIA2 (T3a2, N0 or N1, M0): Cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes, and it may have spread or grown into nearby organs in the pelvis. During surgery, no cancer is visible to the naked eye in the abdomen (outside of the pelvis). However, when biopsies are checked under a microscope, tiny deposits of cancer are found in the lining of the upper abdomen. The cancer may also have spread to retroperitoneal lymph nodes, but it has not spread to distant sites.

Stage IIIB (T3b, N0 or N1, M0): There is cancer in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes, and it may have spread or grown into nearby organs in the pelvis. Deposits of cancer large enough for the surgeon to see, but 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) or smaller across, are in the abdomen. These deposits may be on the outside (the capsule) of the liver or spleen. Cancer may have also spread to the lymph nodes, but it has not spread to the inside of the liver or spleen or to distant sites.

Stage IIIC (T3c, N0 or N1, M0): The cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes, and it may have spread or grown into nearby organs in the pelvis. Deposits of cancer larger than 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) across are seen in the abdomen and these may be on the outside (the capsule) of the liver or spleen. Cancer may have also spread to the lymph nodes, but it has not spread to the inside of the liver or spleen or to distant sites.

Stage IV (any T, any N, M1)

This is the most advanced stage of ovarian cancer. In this stage the cancer has spread to the inside of the spleen, liver, lungs, or other organs located outside the peritoneal cavity. (The peritoneal cavity is the area enclosed by the peritoneum, a membrane that lines the inner abdomen and some of the pelvis and covers most of its organs.)

Stage IVA: Cancer cells are found in the fluid around the lungs (this is called a malignant pleural effusion) with no other areas of cancer spread outside the pelvis or peritoneal cavity.

Stage IVB: Cancer has spread to the inside of the spleen or liver, to lymph nodes besides the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, and/or to other organs or tissues outside the peritoneal cavity. This includes the lungs, the brain, and the skin.

Read the full article here: http://bit.ly/1CuniBV

Researchers Find 6 New Gene Variations That May Help Prevent Ovarian Cancer

New medical research is making ovarian cancer prevention much more of a possibility.

Researchers are getting closer to prevention of ovarian cancer, with the discovery of six new gene variations in women who are prone to cancer that affects ovaries. The detailed study on 70,000 women around the world in 30 countries would throw light on causes of other types of cancers also.

Scientists believe that the new findings would help them focus on prevention, while the current thrust is on early detection of cancers.

Ovarian cancer has been on special focus, due to low survival rate. It remains the biggest killer among women's cancers. In Australia, survival rate is just above 40 percent for ovarian cancer, while it is nearly 89 percent in the case of breast cancer.

Strong investment for breast cancer research has yielded good results to tame the malady.

The latest research and clinical trials led by Australian scientists are aimed at more discoveries on ovarian cancer.

The number of ovarian cancer gene regions, well known to researchers, till date were just 12 and the latest discovery adds six more to the list.

While, deciphering the gene wiring of cancers, the researchers believe there could be more number of subgroups of ovarian cancer than expected earlier.

Abdominal or pelvic pain and increase in abdominal size are the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer. Persistent bloating, urge to urinate often, feeling full quickly or difficulty in eating are some other symptoms.

Read the full article here: http://bit.ly/1B1y0QW

Dogs are a Woman's Best Friend Too!

Dogs are more than just man’s best friend- now, they can be woman’s best friend, too. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, dogs can be taught to sniff out ovarian cancer. An article at ChicagoNow explains:

“Dr. Cynthia Otto at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center says the exquisite ability of a dog's nose may help to refine current technology regarding detection of ovarian cancer. This is integrative medicine at its best, human physicians working with veterinarians. And it's plausible, not science fiction or ideas of "crazy dog people."

Ovarian cancer accounts for around three percent of all cancers in women, and mainly develops in older women aged over 63. According to the American Cancer Society, 22,240 women in the US will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year, and 14,230 women will die from the disease.”

Ovarian cancer is notable for being challenging to detect, and has been called “the silent killer.” Could dogs provide a new method of diagnosing ovarian cancer in women?

Click here to read the entire article at ChicagoNow.