Overview of Complex Ovarian Cysts

Complex ovarian cysts affect all women of all ages. It is usually common during the fertile period. Unlike other forms of cysts, if left untreated can be fatal to health. An ovarian cyst complex is composed of components to 50% solids and liquids that remain outside of a very thin wall. Extreme pain can be felt, depending on the severity of the condition of the cysts. Their existence is usually discovered during a medical examination or extreme pain / discomfort andpresent, while being accompanied by other symptoms.

The development of these cysts is caused by unruly development of egg cells in the body. Every month, follicle or cyst like structures generate, releasing hormones like progesterone and estrogen. These two hormones are needed to stimulate the release of eggs. Some women are affected with less serious ovarian cyst and some have to deal with complex form of ovarian cysts. The reason behind this is still left unknown.

The reasons which greatly contribute to complex ovarian cysts are genetic inclination, obesity, presence of other forms of disease, low immune system, lifestyle related factors and unawareness and disregarding symptoms of ovarian cysts. Complex ovarian cysts increase in size and they become too large causing serious health issues and greater risk if ruptured. The type of cyst should be determined in order to manage the existing condition with the right treatment.

There are three types of complex ovarian cysts.

First is the Dermoid Cyst, which is formed from the egg cell of a woman. It is a cyst that has hair, hair follicles, teeth and sebaceous gland. It is usually found at sites marking the fusion of developing sections of the body in the embryo. There is minimal chance that this cyst will develop into cancer cells. However, when twisted by itself it can cause tremendous pain. Sometimes a Dermoid cyst may develop after an injury.

The second type is the Endometrioma Cyst. This cyst is caused by endometriosis which forms outside the uterus and stays stuck to the ovary and progress with the menstrual cycle. Common symptoms include, fatigue, pain before and after menstruation, pain during sexual intercourse, irregular menstrual periods and painful bowel movements.

The last one is the Adenomas Cyst which consists of liquids and gelatins. These cysts can grow from 3 inches to 12 inches in diameter. When these cysts are twisted by themselves, it is expected to cause agonizing pain.

These cysts are usually benign. Disregarding this condition is the least that should be done. Consult a doctor as soon as possible if you notice some symptoms.

Pain during and after menstruation maybe present in some women. Abdominal pain can affect simple household chores, office works or school related activities. It is very difficult to perform tasks if you are in pain. The goal of pain management is relief, determine which works best. What may work for one person, may not work for another person.

Overview of Cervical Cancer Stages and Their Treatment

Cervical cancer is a type of malignancy that occurs in women. Women at higher risk for cancer of the uterine cervix are those who begin sexual intercourse at an early stage, those who have multiple sex partners, history of multiple pregnancies, develop cervical dysplasia or sexual relations with high risk males. Studies suggest that during adolescence, cervical epithelial cells are particularly sensitive to carcinogenic change.

Cervical cancer is classified and treated according to four cervical cancer stages of differentiation. Stage one is characterized as growth limited only to the cervix. When growth extends beyond the cervix, it is already considered as stage two. It is classified as stage three once the growth has extended into the pelvic wall. Lastly, if the growth has extended to adjacent organs then it has already reached the fourth stage.

Patients with cancer of the cervix may present with symptomatic or asymptomatic disease. Symptoms indicative of early stages of cervical cancer are prolonged menstrual periods, watery vaginal discharge and slight intermenstrual vaginal bleeding after coitus, travel or exertion. These findings may be present for months before additional irregularities occur. As the lesion becomes more extensive, symptoms are more pronounced. Hemorrhage occurs with advanced infiltrative tumors.

The first symptoms produced by the tumor after menopause is usually alarming because they are unexpected. Consequently the patient usually promptly seeks attention. However, if the symptoms begin two to three years after menopause, the patient may think that menstruation has resumed and will delay seeking medical attention.

In later stages, a serosanguinous or yellowish vaginal discharge may be present. It is often foul-smelling due to the sloughing of epithelium and may be associated with profuse bleeding. Pain in the lumbosacral area is usually a late sign and occurs with lymph node involvement. Urinary and rectal symptoms may appear when advanced local disease has invaded the bladder and rectum.

Treatment of cervical cancer is determined by the clinical findings, stage of disease, overall condition of the patient, and whether she wishes to preserve the reproductive mechanism. The treatment of preinvasive lesions can consist of cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser therapy, or conization. For the first level of cervical cancer stages, carcinoma can be conservatively managed by cervical conization, vaginal radiation therapy, and laser treatment. Patients who are conservatively managed should be closely evaluated at least yearly for further appearance of cancer.

Either surgery or radiation therapy are used for stages 1 and 2. Radiation therapy may be used alone for stages 2 and 3. For stage 4, pelvic exenteration may be performed. In advanced tumors in stages 3 and 4, external radiation therapy may be beneficial. External, internal and interstitial radiation therapy may be used. Systemic chemotherapeutics or regional chemotherapeutics are also treatments for cervical cancer.

The earlier the stage at which cancer is diagnosed means a better the prognosis. Preinvasive cancer commonly is diagnosed in women 30 to 40 years of age. Most patients with invasive carcinoma are 40 to 50 years old. Thus, 5 to 10 years are required for the chance to penetrate the basement membrane and become invasive. After invasion, death usually occurs in 3 to 5 years in the untreated patient. That is why to prevent any complications, watch out for early signs of cervical cancer.

Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer Overview

Stage III ovarian cancer is a more serious level of cancer, which has spread to include the pelvic area and organs, and the abdominal organs (liver, bowels, lymph nodes, etc.), and it is easier to diagnose. It is used as part of the prognosis made by a doctor.

Stage III ovarian cancer is then further defined by the TNM determination rating system. TNM is defined to mean to tumor size, node inclusion, metastasis or spread status and grade of the tumor. It will ultimately let doctors known how long a patient has to live and whether they will survive. These factors include:

Each part is defined as follows:

TNM determination rating system

Tumor size - Due to the spread of Stage III, the tumors can only be defined as one of the following:

T3: the tumor is inside one (or both) ovary; the tumor spread includes tissues in the pelvic region, outside the pelvic region and lymph node (s); cancerous cells are found in the abdominal fluids (ascites) or the abdominal cavity washes (peritoneal lavage)

T3a: the tumor is inside one (or both) ovary; the tumor spread includes tissues in the pelvic region, outside the pelvic region and beyond the pelvic region

T3b: the tumor is inside one (or both) ovary; the tumor spread includes tissues in the pelvic region, outside the pelvic region and beyond the pelvic region that are now a maximum size of up to 2cm, and can be seen without a microscope

T3c: the tumor is inside one (or both) ovary; the tumor spread includes tissues in the pelvic region, outside the pelvic region and beyond the pelvic region that is now a 2cm or more in size, and can be seen easily

Node inclusion - As the cancer is at Stage III its classification is:

N1: the tumor has spread to include the lymph nodes

Metastasis or spread determination - As Stage III cancer has been found, only the following classification can be used:

M1: metastases have been found somewhere

Grade of the tumor

The grading of a tumor shows the maturity of the cancerous cells inside the ovary (s). As the cancer is now at Stage III, it can only be classified as the following:

Grade 2: a combination of both normal and cancerous cells; cancerous cells account for about every other cell

Grade 3: very few normal cells if any are left; most or all cells are cancerous

The lower the grade, the slower a tumor will grow, and the better the patient's chance of survival. The higher the grade, the quicker the tumor may grow or spread, and the chances of survival are greatly diminished. In this case, Stage III ovarian cancer has greatly reduced the patient's chances of recovery and/or survival.

Stage groupings

The stage groupings are used to show the order of the varied factors included in the TNM determination rating system. Stage III groupings are as follows:

Stage III

Stage IIIa: T3a, N0, M0

Stage IIIb: T3b, N0, M0

Stage IIIc: T3c, N0, M0, or T(varied), N1, M0

A Brief Overview of Ovarian Cancer

According to statistics, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed this year, and approximately 15,000 women will die from ovarian cancer this year.

Ovarian cancer is often called the silent killer because its symptoms can be subtle, leading to a delayed diagnosis and poorer outcome. However, if ovarian cancer is detected early, approximately nine out of ten women will live for at least five years with the disease.

Ovarian cancer starts in the cells of the ovary or ovaries. The ovaries are two small, oval-shaped organs that lie deep in the pelvis on either side of the uterus (womb), close to the end of the Fallopian tubes. The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system.
 
Each month, in women of childbearing age, one of the ovaries releases an egg (ovum). This is called ovulation. The egg travels down the Fallopian tube to the uterus, where it may be fertilized by a sperm and develop into a fetus. If the egg is not fertilized, it is shed as part of your monthly period.
 
The ovaries also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen and progesterone help control reproduction and sexual development. As a woman ages and reaches menopause, the ovaries make less of these hormones and periods gradually stop.

If left undetected and untreated, ovarian cancer can spread from the ovaries to other organs in the pelvis, such as the Fallopian tubes, uterus, rectum, colon or bladder.

In the most advanced form, ovarian cancer can spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs.