Nov. 16, 2023 | American tennis great Pete Sampras revealed in October that his wife, Bridgette Wilson, a former actress, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Wilson is one of about 19,000 women who will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer in the United States this year. According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 78. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 108. Luckily, ovarian cancer diagnoses have been slowly falling over the past 20 years. The incidence rate declined by 1 to 2 percent per year from 1990 to the mid-2010s and by almost 3 percent per year from 2015 to 2019. This may be  due to more use of oral contraceptives, less use of menopausal hormone therapy and more complete removal of fallopian tubes.

Nov. 16, 2023 | Ovarian cancer is a growth of cells that forms in the ovaries or fallopian tubes. National Cancer Society statistics predict that about 13,270 women will die of ovarian cancer in 2023. This cancer mainly develops in older women. About half of the women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 63 years or older. It is more common in white women than Black women. While it’s not clear what causes ovarian cancer, doctors have identified things that can increase the risk of the disease. Physicians know that ovarian cancer begins when cells in or near the ovaries develop changes, or mutations, in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow and multiply quickly, creating a mass tumor of cancer cells called a tumor. The cancer cells continue living when healthy cells would die. They can invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumor to spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.

Nov. 16, 2023 | There are a number of factors that can increase a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Dr. Monique Spillman, chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at UAMS, says a small percentage of ovarian cancers are caused by gene changes you inherit from your parents. The genes that increase the risk of ovarian cancer include BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes also increase the risk of breast cancer. Being obese and having taken hormone replacement therapy to control the symptoms of menopause may also contribute to the chances of getting the disease. Dr. Spillman adds that women who have never been pregnant have an increased risk of ovarian cancer, as do women who have had endometriosis, an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that lines the inside of your uterus grows outside the uterus. Beginning menstruation at an early age or starting menopause at a later age, or both, may also increase the risk.

Nov. 16, 2023 | Treatment for ovarian cancer has been shown to work best when it is found in its early stages. A woman who has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer has a number of options when it comes to treatment. It’s important for a patient to think about her choices and to weigh the benefits of each form of treatment against any possible risks or potential side effects. Ovarian cancer often requires surgery and chemotherapy drugs for treatment. Drugs used to treat ovarian cancer are considered systemic therapies because they can reach cancer cells almost anywhere in the body. They can be given by mouth or put directly into the bloodstream. Typically, treatment plans are based on the type of ovarian cancer, its stage, and any special situations. Most women with ovarian cancer will have some type of surgery to remove the tumor, either before or after chemotherapy. She may also take a pill after to help keep her cancer from coming back.

Nov. 16, 2023 | There’s no precise way for a woman to prevent herself from developing ovarian cancer but there are certain ways to reduce her risk. One is to consider taking birth control pills. Taking birth control pills reduces the risk of ovarian cancer even in women at high risk of cancer. But these medications do have risks, so it’s a good idea to discuss with your physician whether the benefits outweigh those risks based on your situation. And discuss your risk factors with your doctor. If you have a family history of breast and ovarian cancers, bring this up with your doctor. Your doctor can determine what this may mean for your own risk of cancer. You may be referred to a genetic counselor who can help you decide whether genetic testing may be right for you. If you’re found to have a gene change that increases your risk of ovarian cancer, you may want to consider surgery to remove one or both of your ovaries and Fallopian tubes to prevent cancer.