Peritoneal Ovarian Cancer

A Definition Of Peritoneal Ovarian Cancer Including A Discussion Of Its Symptoms And How It Is Diagnosed.

Peritoneal cancer affects the peritoneum - the lining of the abdominal cavity - and the form of peritoneal cancer that infects the portion of the abdominal cavity lining near the ovaries can be referred to as peritoneal ovarian cancer. The initial symptoms of peritoneal ovarian cancer are similar to those of ovarian cancer, which only affects the ovaries, and includes such things as an uncomfortable feeling in the abdomen, often attributed to indigestion or gas, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Further peritoneal ovarian cancer symptoms would include a loss of appetite, bloating even after ingesting small amounts of food and weight loss or, conversely, unexplained weight gain. Peritoneal ovarian cancer may affect the cells of the peritoneum surrounding the ovaries but the disease does not adversely affect the ovaries themselves. Peritoneal ovarian cancer would not, for instance, automatically lead to ovarian cancer.

The converse, furthermore, is also true and ovarian cancer does not automatically lead to peritoneal ovarian cancer. Peritoneal cancer is also not restricted to those areas of the peritoneum that line the ovaries, and the condition can develop in any part of the peritoneum, which lines the entire abdominal cavity including the rectal and uterine areas. It is important to distinguish whether a patient is suffering from ovarian cancer or peritoneal ovarian cancer, and several tools have been developed to aid diagnosis. Barium enemas, palpation of the abdominal area and biopsies are all diagnostic tools that assist in determining whether a patient is actually suffering from cancer and, if so, exactly what type of cancer is involved.

Exactly how peritoneal ovarian cancer will be treated will depend on factors like how far it has spread and what stage it is in. On the whole, however, the prognosis for the disease is not good as its initial symptoms, which occur at a stage when the disease can be controlled, are usually so vague that the fact that the patient has cancer is not recognized in time.