Ovarian Cancer Prognosis

Ovarian cancer affects either one or both the ovaries. The ovaries are organs of the reproductive system for women. Ovarian cancer is relatively tough to detect on account of it being largely asymptomatic. Broadly, there are three primary kinds of ovarian tumors having malignancy (cancerous). These are:

• Germ cell tumors
• Stromal tumors
• Epithelial tumors

Germ cell tumors generally originate inside the cells which produce eggs. Stromal tumors take birth in cells producing hormones and provide support and structure to the ovaries. Epithelial tumors are the most common form of ovarian tumors which affect the outer part of the ovary.

Women suffering from ovarian cancer are usually a worried lot with regard to their future lives. Getting to understand ovarian cancer as well as things to expect can do a lot to help patients along with their close ones to devise treatment plans, lifestyle changes and also in making decisions with regard to finances and quality of life. People suffering from ovarian cancer desire to learn their prognosis. This knowledge generally helps them to understand their doctors' advice better and also assists them in their own search of statistics related to ovarian cancer.

A prognosis, in simpler language refers to a sort of medical opinion regarding the probable course or consequence of a specific disease. Prognosis of ovarian cancer is the percentage probability of a patient recovering or having a recurrence.

The prognosis of a woman detected with ovarian cancer is dependent on these factors:

• The type of ovarian cancer: The commonest forms of ovarian cancer include ovarian epithelial cancer, ovarian germ cell cancer and malignant potential ovarian cancer. These are differentiated in accordance to the area affected in the ovary, and the likelihood of the cancer spreading to other body parts. Amongst the different types of ovarian cancer, majority of women are affected by ovarian epithelial cancer.
• The general health and a woman's age: This is quite an important factor in the prognosis of women's ovarian cancer. A woman's weak physical constitution and history of illnesses prove to be deterrent factors for a successful fight against ovarian cancer. Age also plays a major role in this regard.
• Whether the cancer has been recently diagnosed or has come back (recurred).
• The stage of the ovarian cancer: The stage related to the ovarian cancer is diagnosed with tests which indicate whether cancer cells have been spreading inside the ovaries and also the different areas of the body like liver and other places. Through determination of the exact stage of the ovarian cancer in a woman, apt treatment plans for ovarian cancer can be devised.

The staging system has been in vogue for classifying cancer and describing the extent of spreading for treatment purposes as well as prognosis statistics. The TNM staging system created by the American Joint Committee on Cancer relies on three factors in the staging process. The "T" factor determines the number of cancer cells and the tumor size. The "N" factor refers to the fact whether cancer is present or absent within the lymph nodes. The "M" factor which is 0 or 1 describes the extent of spread of cancer. Broadly there are 4 stages of ovarian cancer with different individual levels for each stage.

The role of the cancer stages in ovarian cancer prognosis cannot be undermined. These are the facts based on history:

• About 19% cases of ovarian cancer are usually diagnosed when the cancer is confined or at the localized stage.
• Approximately 7% of the cases of ovarian cancer are detected subsequent to the cancer spreading to the lymph nodes or beyond the main site.
• About 68% of the cases of ovarian cancer are detected subsequent to the cancer spreading or metastasizing.
• In 7% cases of ovarian cancer, staging information was unknown.

The survival rates are indicative of the number of women in a particular stage and type of ovarian cancer surviving after detection of the disease. In majority of cases, 5-year survival rate is referred to in statistical analysis. However, the survival rates are calculated on the basis of statistical data collected from a large group of people and cannot be particularly used for predicting what will happen to a specific patient.