A tumor in the ovary may not always mean cancer. However, even benign tumors can cause some adverse side effects.
Identification
- A tumor in the ovary is classified in two ways. A benign tumor can cause some symptoms, but is usually not serious. Malignant tumors in the ovary are more difficult to treat and may be life-threatening.
Pain Symptoms
- An ovarian tumor, whether it is benign or malignant, may cause back pain. It may also cause pressure in the abdomen and pelvis and radiate down the legs.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in tumors on the ovary. Nausea, gas, indigestion, constipation and diarrhea may accompany ovarian tumors. Bloating or swelling of the abdomen may also be present as the tumor grows.
Treatment
- The treatment for a malignant tumor on the ovary may have serious side effects. These can include pain, abdominal swelling, swelling of the legs and intestinal blockage. Other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation may be nausea, vomiting and hair loss. Benign tumors are slow growing and usually do not become malignant. However, surgery is necessary to remove the tumor if symptoms persist beyond three menstrual cycles.
Considerations
- An ovarian tumor is a serious condition that may be difficult to deal with. While the treatment for a tumor has side effects, it is an important step to recovery. Some of the treatments that are used to treat ovarian tumors are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is a drug-based cancer treatment designed to limit or kill malignant cells either locally or throughout the body. Intra-arterial chemotherapy is a localized treatment that seeks to halt cancer cells with minimal harmful impact on other body systems.
The Facts
- During intra-arterial chemotherapy, doctors supply chemo drugs directly to the artery responsible for providing cancer cells with a blood supply, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Artery Location
- To locate the proper artery, doctors use an X-ray technique called angiography, which utilizes a special injected dye to help visualize the artery’s location, according to Chemocare.com.
Methods
- Doctors can administer intra-arterial chemotherapy either through a temporary catheter inserted in the proper artery or through a pump and associated catheter implanted between the skin and underlying muscle, reports Chemocare.com.
Uses
- Doctors most commonly use intra-arterial chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer that has spread from the colon to the liver, according to Chemocare.com. Additional potential applications include treatment of pancreatic and gastric cancers, limb sarcoma, and head and neck cancers.
Considerations
- The Liver Cancer Network notes that evidence for increased survival rates from intra-arterial chemotherapy is limited.
Myeloma is a shortened term for multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that develops in the bone marrow’s plasma cells. Stage 1 multiple myeloma is the earliest, least symptomatic form of the cancer.
Significance
- Although multiple myeloma isn’t curable, various treatment options help control cancer symptoms when they’re present. Stage 1 myeloma may not require immediate treatment if symptoms aren’t present.
Types
- Treatments for Stage 1 myeloma include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation and prescription drugs, such as bortezomib, lenalidomide, thalidomide and corticosteroids.
Complications
- According to the Mayo Clinic, complications that accompany Stage 1 myeloma may also require treatment. They include anemia, back pain, bone loss, infections and kidney problems.
Symptoms
- Multiple myeloma symptoms that may indicate a need for treatment include abnormal proteins in the urine or blood, fatigue due to anemia (low level of red blood cells), a large amount of calcium in the blood, numbness or weakness in the legs, pain in the bones, recurring infections and weight loss.
Considerations
- The Mayo Clinic reports that doctors consider several factors when deciding on the appropriate treatment for Stage 1 myeloma. They include the patient’s age and overall health and the likelihood of the cancer progressing.
Breast thermography is one of the procedures that leads to early breast cancer detection. A thermography exam can also bring about a better understanding of underlying health issues that may contribute to breast cancer.
What is Breast Thermography?
- Breast thermography is a 15 minute non-invasive exam that tests the physiology of the breasts and surrounding areas. Thermography detects changes in the breasts like fibroids, vascular disease or infection.
Angiogenesis
- Thermography is also used in to determine the presence of angiogenesis, or a new formation of a blood vessel. Tumors grow when connected to blood vessels–thermography can display the first signs of this, so the tumor can be removed early.
Hormone Balance
- Years of over-exposure to estrogen is the main cause of breast cancer, according to Pacific Chiropractic and Research Center. A thermography exam can determine if there is too much estrogen in the breast tissue.
Family History
- According to BreastThermography.com, 75 percent of women who get breast cancer are not genetically predisposed. Abnormal thermography findings can help doctors discover early treatment options.
Younger Women
- According to Preventative Health Lab, 23 percent of all breast cancer develops in women under the age of 49; getting a thermography exam as part of a health checkup can give doctors an advantage in finding early treatments
