Cancer and Women of African Descent

4th of February is World Cancer Day. If you’re a Woman, read this …if you know any Women – read this….

Introduction
Ovarian Cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women; it is apparently more common than Cervical Cancer. If diagnosed early, Ovarian cancer can be treated and the patient’s life could be saved and re-occurrence prevented.

Some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are similar to those seen in more common conditions like flu and fatigue, it can be difficult to diagnose.
Most women are not diagnosed until the disease has spread, which is why it is important that you know about the symptoms, so that you can seek advice as early as possible.

Symptoms
Ovarian Cancer is described as a ‘silent’ disease in that the symptoms can be vague:
Persistent pelvic and abdominal pain
Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
Difficulty eating and feeling full quickly
These symptoms are frequently experienced by women, however when they are experienced frequently, persistently and severely the likelihood of ovarian cancer increases.
Occasionally other symptoms such as:
Urinary symptoms
Changes in bowel habit or haemorrhoids
Extreme fatigue
Back pain

These may also be experienced on their own or at the same time. It is most likely that these symptoms are not ovarian cancer, but may be present in some women with the disease. Ovarian Cancer screening is difficult, as current tools are not specific or accurate enough for widespread use. Women often mistakenly believe it can be detected by a cervical smear.

Diagnosis
Ovarian Cancer Stages
Cancer of the ovaries goes through four stages.
Stage I: Tumours are confined to one or both of the ovaries. The disease has not spread to other organs.
Stage II:    Tumours have spread from the ovaries into the pelvic region.
Stage III:    Cancer has spread through the pelvic cavity to the lymph nodes, the small bowel or the surface of the liver. Unfortunately, few cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed before Stage III.
Stage IV:     Cancer has metastasized to distant organs which can include the lungs.

Predicted Survival at each Ovarian Cancer Stage
Stage I:     Limited to ovary; 90 percent survival.
Stage II:    Limited to pelvic region; 70 percent survival.
Stage III:   Spread throughout abdomen; 15 to 20 percent survival.
Stage IV:   Spread beyond abdomen, metastasis; 1 to 5 percent survival.

Advanced Ovarian Cancer means the cancer is stage 3 or 4. It has spread away from the ovary to other parts of the body.  Unfortunately, ovarian cancer can often be quite advanced when it is first diagnosed.  Women may not have any symptoms when the cancer is in its early stages. Or symptoms may have been vague and difficult to spot or explain.

Anaemia: abnormally low red blood cell levels
Ascites: abdominal swelling caused by an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity
Cachexia: a combination of malnutrition, weakness and weight loss
Pelvic pain: pain in the pelvic region; may also occur in the back or down the legs
Voiding problems: frequent urination or a feeling of pressure on the bladder or bowel.

Ovarian cancer that is advanced when it is first diagnosed can sometimes be cured with Surgery and Chemotherapy. Ovarian cancer that comes back after treatment cannot usually be cured hence the urgency in ensuring it’s not too advanced and can be contained or eradicated.

Treatment
The aim of treatment is usually to shrink the cancer and control it for as long as possible. A growing cancer can also cause pressure on the tubes that drain the kidneys. This can block the flow of urine and cause kidney infection or the surrounding blood vessels and result in a deep vein thrombosis – a clot in a deep vein that can travel to the heart lungs or brain. Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Surgery are all used to treat advanced ovarian cancer. For advanced Ovarian Cancer, Surgery may be used to remove as much of the cancer as possible from inside your abdomen before chemotherapy – this is called debulking.

Risk factors
There are a number of risk factors that women should be aware of:

Family History: Cancer can run in families. Some cases of Ovarian Cancer are due to an inherited faulty gene, which also can be linked to some other cancers. Remember most cases will be ‘one offs’ – mine was , I’m assuming as no one in my family has owned up to having had any form of Cancer.
Known carriers of the altered BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene which cause Breast Cancer

Weight: Being overweight may also increase your risk.

Reproductive history: There appears to be a link between the number of menstrual cycles in a woman’s life and her risk of ovarian cancer. Women who have not had children, or who have not breastfed, have a slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer.


Reducing risk
It is important to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, taking regular exercise and not drinking too much alcohol. This will help to reduce your risk for many cancers.  For women at high risk of ovarian cancer, suppressing ovulation can reduce risk but this must be discussed with a doctor. Most importantly be conscious of the signs your body gives you that something is wrong.

Don’t die out of ignorance read up on Ovarian Cancer, Speak Out (if its genetic you need to know) and ask for help in ensuring you do not have Ovarian Cancer if you feel you are at risk and have the symptoms described above – I was extremely blessed as when diagnosed the cancer was already at Stage 3, I had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other complications and ended up having Surgery and Chemotherapy.

I did not have a clue what was going on …but for someone else I hope this acts as an early warning device.

If anyone wants to speak to me directly about this…contact me via yvonne@prosperityangels.co.uk – happy to answer any questions….

To read Yvonne’s account of her fight against Ovarian Cancer, go to Warrior Princess

Editor’s NOTE: The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is 1.48% for women of all races. It is higher for white women (1.82%) than black women (1.04%).This holds true for all kinds of cancers, as women of African descent generally have a lower incidence; however when afflicted, women of African descent are far more likely than other afflicted women to have a particularly aggressive and lethal form of the disease. The best course of action is early detection and genetic screening. Know your family history, know your body and if something seems out of place, speak up!