How Fast Does Ovarian Cancer Spread
Many a time, those who are diagnosed with cancer are met with the devastating news that they have a terminal cancer that has been growing inside their body for quite some time. This fact suggests that cancer as such is a very slow process and if you are able to catch it early, your chance of survival is almost assured.
But things are again difficult when it comes to diagnosis of all types of cancer, let alone ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer has symptoms that do not look so prominent so that women normally do not seek treatment for the same. This is one reason that makes the cancer spread uncontrollably, over a period of time and put the patient’s life at risk.
There are however, certain tumours that grow inside the ovaries which do not grow beyond the ovaries. These growths are benign and do not spread to other areas like a cancerous tumour. Let’s asses the spread of Ovarian cancer in each stage.
First Stage of Ovarian Cancer
The first stage of ovarian cancer is again divided into A, B and C. At stage IA, the cancer growth is at its rudimentary stage and very curable through non invasive methods. It is very difficult to detect cancer at this stage as there would be complete absence of symptoms or mild symptoms that are not significant enough to be considered dangerous. The cancer at this stage is only inside the ovaries and not spread to any other areas. You would only require one or either of the ovaries removed in this case depending on the extent.
Second Stage Ovarian Cancer
In the second stage, the cancer spread is more serious. It could have by now pierced the walls of the ovaries and spread to nearby regions of the pelvis. Women will start feeling the pain and numbness in and around their abdomen, pelvis and back due to the spread of the cancer cells in these areas. The cancer would have damaged the uterus and fallopian tubes as well at stage II. A hysterectomy would be recommended by the doctor to prevent spread to the lymph node and nearby organs.
Third Stage of Ovarian cancer
In the third stage, the lymph nodes too are involved making the cancer growth more fast and prominent. Women would have extreme fatigue, loss of weight and tiredness along with loss of appetite and other stomach and digestive problems. At the latter part of stage III, the cancer has chances of spreading to the liver as well due to its proximity to the pelvic region. Half of the women diagnosed at this stage have chances of a cure rate.
Fourth Stage of Ovarian Cancer
This is the stage where the cancer has spread to the liver and lungs and at this stage of metastasis, very few women survive with treatment. Doctors would recommend clinical trials and other novel methods of treatment at this stage when all other conventional treatment plans fail.
If the cancer growth is diagnosed early, its spread can be contained and recovery will be fast. As it progresses and there is no medical intervention, the spread will be rapid and cannot be stopped.
