Interesting Facts about Ovarian Cancer

I am hopeful that my sister's possible cancer is really only benign tumors. However, I found this wonderfully educational site at the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health, at Medlineplus tutorials, but after reading some information on the tutorials, I am less confident that her condition is benign. She has three of the symptoms listed for ovarian cancer. Click on the title link above to use the tutorials.
Ovarian cancer cannot be detected until symptoms are presenting. Some symptoms of ovarian cancer:
-It spreads to the peritoneum, causing severe abdominal pain and pelvic pain.
-If the nerves passing through the pelvic area are affected by the cancer, the pain may affect legs and feet.
-A reaction to the tumors is abnormal amount of fluid accumulating in the abdomen, called ascites. Ascites may cause significant increase in the size of the abdomen and waistline.
These are the three symptoms which initially sent her to seek medical care. Her doctor, who did not speak English, thought it was kidney stones and treated her for that. It helped, but on Xrays, it seems she still has kidney stones (and infection.) When this non-English speaking doctor began talking about a hysterectomy, I advised her to change doctors. Her friend, Kathy, goes to an FP in town and had tried to get Teresa to switch to him. I suggested that she change docs too. You really need to be able to understand what your doctor tells you without an interpreter! Especially, if your first language is English! She changed docs, took her file with her to his office and he immediately set her up for tests- resulting in the ultrasound showing tumors.
Ovarian cancer most affects women over the age of 35, and most often affects women over age 50.
Risk factors: Women with family members who have had ovarian, brest or colon cancer are a t a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. Increased risk factors include:
-The use of hormone replacement (hrt) therapy after menopause for many years.
-Exposure to asbestos.
Decrease the risk factors include:
-Use of birth control pills. (Seems to be the opposite of common knowledge back in the 80s and 90s!)
-Having children
-Breast feeding
-Tubal ligation decreases risk of ovarian cancer.
Teresa has tumors/growth mass covering both ovaries, the womb/pelvic area, and even in the vagina. She seems fairly strong, physically, even now. She said she spent yesterday with her friend, Kathy, going to yard sales and even the fair last night. They sat up talking until early morning. She finally got out to talk to her son and his wife today. Her daughter-in-law is a pediatric nurse in town and suggested that Teresa see the OB-GYN who works in their building. She would be able to go with Teresa to the visits and help her understand what the doc says.