Ovarian cancer: the facts and a new tool in detection

The RI Cancer Council (RICC) reports that women in Rhode Island have an 8.6 percent greater chance of getting cancer than women in other parts of the country. Ovarian cancer makes up only four percent of cancer cases, yet is the fifth most common form of cancer in women and it is the most deadly of all gynecological cancers, primarily because it is not diagnosed in its early stages. Among female cancer patients in RI, it is the fourth highest killer.

Risk factors for ovarian cancer are in women who:

• have a history of ovarian cancer in their family
• are between the ages of 40 and 70
• began their first menstrual cycle before age 12 or began menopause before age 50
• are Caucasian or Hawaiian
• eat a high-fat diet

Now, physicians at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island are using a new tool in the fight against ovarian cancer. Women & Infants reports that historically the "gold standard" for monitoring women with ovarian cancer is a blood test that looks at the levels of a biomarker known as CA125. The problem is that CA125 levels are only elevated in 50 percent of women with early stage disease. As a result, some cases can be missed when the disease is in its early stages, when treatment is most effective.

Last year, Richard G. Moore, MD, director of the Center for Biomarkers and Emerging Technology at Women & Infants published the results of a study on a new biomarker known as HE4. In his study, Moore demonstrated that by combining blood tests for both CA125 and HE4 levels, when used with a specialized algorithm, results in higher accuracy when testing to see if an ovarian cyst or pelvic mass was cancerous. As a result, women at higher risk for ovarian cancer can be referred to specialists for treatment at an earlier stage.

The test was recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, now, Women & Infants' Division of Medical Screening and Special Testing is one of only a few laboratories in the country currently offering this combined test to detect for ovarian cancer and the only lab in the country using the specialized algorithm. Moore says, "We are currently receiving blood for testing from all over the United States and the world." 

According to the RICC, early stages of ovarian cancer act as a "silent disease," with few or no symptoms. That is why 75 percent of cases are not diagnosed until the later stages. The following are some symptoms that are reported by women with ovarian cancer, although none of them necessarily mean that you have ovarian cancer:

• Abdominal bloating and discomfort
• Loss of appetite/sudden weight loss
• Indigestion and nausea
• Feelings of fullness even after light meals
• Diarrhea
• Frequent urination
• Constipation
• Fluid around lungs/shortness of breath
• Vaginal bleeding not during menstruation

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, but sure to discuss it with your doctor. For women in Rhode Island, it's good to know that we are armed with a new tool to help detect this deadly disease in its early stages.

Have you been diagnosed with ovarian cancer? Share your story and help other women.