Black women and ovary cancer

Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with ovary cancer than white women, but are more likely to die. A lack of access to quality care and genetic tests, as well as late diagnosis, can be contributory factors.

The American Cancer Society considers that there will be 20,890 newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025, and 12,730 women will die from the disease. It is estimated that a woman in 91 will develop ovary cancer in her lifetime.

According to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, the disease is most often diagnosed in women aged 55 to 64.

Ovary cancer by figures

When diagnosed and treated in the early stages, the five -year survival rate is more than 90%. Due to the non -specific symptoms of ovarian cancer and the lack of early detection tests, only 20% of all cases are diagnosed at this early stage. If it is taken at stage III or more, the survival rate can reach 30.6%.

Due to the nature of the disease, each woman diagnosed with ovary cancer has a different profile and it is impossible to provide a general prognosis. The survival rate of ovarian cancer at five years for white women is 50.6%; In black patients, it’s 43.2%.

How ovary cancer has an impact on black women

The review The health disparities of obstetrics and gynecology in ovarian care plunged deeply in the differences between black, white, Asian and Amerindian populations, Hispanic populations, with regard to diagnosis, care and mortality. They looked at several years, going back to 1985.

Black patients overall and any other patient with low socioeconomic training have had less good results.

“Black patients had 17 to 18% worse survival compared to white patients. Potential explanations include an earlier age and a subsequent stage of the diagnosis and disparities in the entire continuum of ovarian cancer care: diagnosis, treatment and precision tests. “

According to this literature review, other factors that had an impact on treatment included the type of insurance. If it is not private, the patient is less likely to have received the treatment of ovarian-ovarian cancer from the National Cancer Network. This resulted in a 10% increase in patient risk of mortality. Non -private insurance also has an impact on access to genetic tests.

If the patients lived in rural areas, which did not want to travel or were treated in a low -volume hospital by a surgeon with less surgeries, they received 16 to 31% of ovarian cancer processing the directives of the NCCN.

Who is at risk of ovary cancer?

According to the Ovarian Research Alliance, around 25% of diagnosed ovarian cancer cases are hereditary. And they can be mainly attributed to the changes in the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene (black women can also have them). Connection is generally history of breast cancer.

Other risk factors include:

• Lynch syndrome, also known as the Non-Polypose hereditary colorectal cancer
• Family history of ovarian, breast, uterine or colorectal cancer cancer.
• A personal history of cancer or endometriosis
• Early menstruation, no childbirth, first delivery after 30, late menopause, no oral contraceptives or infertility increase the risk.
• HRT: Long -term use increases the risk, in particular with combined estrogens and progestins.
• Obesity is associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer, especially after menopause.

The facts and figures of American Cancer Cancer Society reports: “Some high-risk women due to a strong family history or hereditary genetic mutations may consider preventive surgery to eliminate both ovaries and fallopian tubes (salpingo-oophorectomy prophylactic), which considerably reduces risks.”

What is ovary cancer?

Ovary cancer is a disease in which malignant or cancer cells are found in the ovaries. An ovary is one of the two small almond -shaped organs located on each side of the uterus that store eggs or germ cells and produce estrogen female hormones and progesterone.

According to the American Cancer Society, however, the disease was previously started only in the cells of the ovaries. But ovarian cancer can also start in the fallopian tubes.

Types of ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovary cancer

The majority of ovary cancers are classified here (85-90%) and can start in the cells of the Fallow or ovaries tube. The cells are also classified according to genetic analysis in the following categories:

• High grade serous carcinoma (this is the most common type.)
• Low grade serous carcinoma
• Endometrioid carcinoma
• Clear cell carcinoma
• Mucinous carcinoma

Primary peritoneal carcinoma

It is a rare cancer which is linked to cancer of the epithelial ovary. However, he may have spread to the abdomen.

Fallop tube cancer

Fallow tube cancer is similar to epithelial ovary cancer and is often spreading to ovary and peritoneum.

Ovarian sex cord tumors

Tumors of the ovarian sex cord (SCST) are a group of tumors that come either from the sex cord or from the stromal cells:

• Sexual cord cells are a type of epithelial cell that ends up developing in ovaries (in women) and testicles (in men).
• Stromal cells form the connective tissue which gives the structure of the ovaries.

Ovarian germ cell tumors

Most tumors of ovarian germ cells are benign, but some are cancerous and can be fatal. Less than 2% of ovary cancers are tumors of germ cells.

• The dysgerminoma is rare; It is cancer of the most common ovarian cells.

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Ovary cancer is difficult to detect, especially in the early stages. It is partly because these two small almond -shaped organs are deeply in the abdominal cavity, one on each side of the uterus.

According to Mayo Clinic, these are some of the potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer:

• Quickly feel full by eating
• Abdominal bakes or swelling
• Weight loss
• Feel the need to urinate urgently or often
• Fatigue
• Discomfort in the pelvic area
• Back pain
• Changes in intestinal habits, such as constipation

Make an appointment with your HCP if your symptoms are persistent.

Be assessed by your HCP

Your HCP may need to perform several tests before there is a conclusive diagnosis. They may include:

• A pelvic examination
• Blood tests. The most common tumor marker is a blood test called CA-125.
• Genetic tests
• Surgery

If your results come back positive

Consult a gynecological oncologist immediately. They may want to review your current test and order from others, as well as the results. However, the only way to confirm ovary cancer more specifically is with a biopsy, a procedure in which the doctor takes a sample from the tumor and examines it under a microscope.

Diagnose

Take the best party of your appointment. Come with a few ready questions after the initial shock has dissipated. Or provide a support service with you. Another significant, a sister, a best friend or a work friend, let them ask the questions you have scribbled in your notebook. But we have a cheat sheet below to help you start, and you can add more from here.

• What type of ovary cancer do I have?
• Has my cancer spread beyond the ovaries?
• What is the stadium of cancer (extent), and what does that mean?
• Will I need other tests before being able to decide the treatment?
• Will I have children after my treatment?

• Should I think of genetic tests?
• What are my clinical trial options?
• It’s overwhelming. Where can I find support?

Associate yourself with your HCP

After your diagnosis, you will associate yourself with your oncologist to choose a personalized treatment plan that works for you. The treatment will vary depending on the stage of the disease, your age and your state of health. ACS points out that most patients with ovarian cancer may require surgery. But depending on the type of ovarian cancer and to what extent it is advanced, you may also need other types of treatment, before or after surgery, or sometimes both.

Treatment options may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Targeted drug therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Immonotherapy

Five preventive strategies to combat ovary cancer

Genetic tests also provide information that allows individuals to identify the preventive measures they can take to reduce their risk of ovarian cancer. Here are five that the ORA suggests:

• The use of oral contraception for five years or more can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 50%.
• Multiple pregnancies or your first long -term birth to the age of 26 reduce your risk, and breastfeeding also does so.
• Withdrawal of your fallopian tubes (bilateral saltingectomy). It reduces the risk of cancer formation in the fallated tubes while preserving fertility using IVF.
• The elimination of fallopian tubes and ovaries from bilateral salting-oophorectomy considerably reduces the risk. There is a slight chance that you can always get a rare type of ovarian cancer. Particularly beneficial when carried out at the age of 35 to 40 for women with BRCA1 mutations or 40 to 45 years for BRCA2 changes.
• Hysterectomy and tubal ligature: hysterectomy can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 33% and a tubal ligature up to 67%.

Resources:

American Cancer Society: types of ovarian cancer

Ovarian research alliance: prevention and risks

Mayo clinic: Symptoms of ovarian cancer

Health disparities in ovarian care