Ovarian cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells have formed on one or both ovaries. Ovaries are a part of the female reproductive system and are used to store eggs.
Typically, when a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she has malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. Malignant epithelial ovarian tumors are the most common malignant tumors although there are a few other types as well. The cancer is silent in its early stages, meaning it does not usually have symptoms that are noticeable to the afflicted. When symptoms do appear, it is generally in late stages of the disease.
Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer has some different symptoms.
Those symptoms include:
- Â Â Â Vaginal bleeding
- Â Â Â Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Â Â Â Nausea and vomiting
- Â Â Â Loss of appetite
- Â Â Â Increased need to urinate
- Â Â Â Pelvic pain
- Â Â Â Extreme bloating
- Â Â Â Problems with the urinary tract
- Â Â Â Sensations of being full quickly
These symptoms can start out of nowhere and become quite severe very quickly. Some women have no symptoms at all.
A Look at the Statistics
The ovarian cancer statistics are pretty scary. This cancer is the fifth largest cancer killer in women. Each year there are around 21,000 women diagnosed with this specific type of cancer.
Of those women, around 14,000 will lose the battle. Most of the women that are diagnosed are over the age of 60, and it is more predominant in African-American women. So with these statistics 1 in every 75 women will be diagnosed and out of every 100 women diagnosed, one woman will die. These are very scary statistics to ponder.
Early detection is the best way to overcome this type of cancer. When caught early enough, the treatment success rate rises to about 85%. That is a huge improvement over the regular survival rates.
Yearly Pap smears are one way to reduce the risks of developing late-stage ovarian cancer. If you have signs and symptoms of cancer, there are numerous tests which can further detect the presence of abnormal, malignant cells within the ovaries. Tests include:
- Â Â Â GI Series
- Â Â Â CA125
- Â Â Â CT scan
- Â Â Â Urinalysis
Ovarian Cancer Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is negligence toward a patient that ultimately leads to serious injury or death. In the case of ovarian cancer, this negligence often leads to subpar results of the diagnosis that could have been prevented. You can be the victim of medical malpractice if any of the following occurred:
- Â Â Â You were given an incorrect diagnosis
- Â Â Â Follow-up was not made on a positive diagnosis
- Â Â Â Proper ovarian cancer treatments were not offered
- Â Â Â Wrong treatments/ delayed treatments
These are just a few examples of medical malpractice related to ovarian cancer. If your injuries are due to a doctor who lacked in care in any way, it may be considered malpractice. In such an event, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries and damages that have occurred.
A quick look on the Internet will yield numerous testimonials of individuals who have filed claims against hospitals, doctors, surgeons and many others in the medical profession for medical malpractice. Many of these complaints involve the issues listed above. Sadly, medical malpractice is occurring on a more frequent basis, leaving lives shattered and turned upside down.
It is in your best interests to discuss your case with a medical malpractice lawyer if you feel that you have been wronged in any way. A free consultation is available without obligation. Your lawyer can help you file a lawsuit if you have a case, which can lead to compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering and more. Although it will not change the damage that has already occurred, it can make tomorrow just a little bit brighter.