Women who take depressants or tranquilizers may have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, but researchers are not sure whether it's the drugs or the mental condition for which they are taken, that may be responsible overall, women who reported any use of tranquilizers or antidepressants had twice the risk of developing ovarian cancer, compared to women of the same age who did not take the drugs the study found.

"Women who appeared to be at highest risk were those who started taking the medication before the age of 50 yrs. They had about three times the normal risk. It could be that drugs for depression and anxiety adversely affects women's hormone levels.", said Dr. Bernard Harlow of Brigham and women's hospital in Boston.

"Because these women developed ovarian cancer at least 10 yrs after they first stated taking the medications, it is unlikely that they had the cancer before taking the drugs.", Harlow said.

The tranquilizers' studies shows that benzodiazepines are the most commonly used drugs. The antidepressants studies were from a group known as tricyclics and also are commonly used, after further study the medications are found to be related to ovarian cancer, could be because they affect the metabolism of estrogen and gonadotropin, two hormones involved in regulating the menstrual cycle of estrogen, which would lead to higher levels of gonadotropin, this has been associated with ovarian cancer in animal studies, efforts are under way to study whether the apparent risk of ovarian cancer is related to the medications or the mental conditions, such as severe depression or anxiety, for which they are prescribed.

It is estimated that about 26,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. According to the American cancer society ovarian cancer accounts for about 5% of all cancers amongst women.

SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT OF OVARIAN CANCER (With homoeopathic medicines)

SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT: 

What symptoms occur when ovarian cancer progresses?

Ovarian cancer usually grows in the belly, or peritoneal cavity. As tumor implants lying on the peritoneum and around the bowels, it continues to grow, and more malignant fluid (ascites) is produced. The combination of cancer growth and ascites will cause the symptom of bloating. Eventually, the volume of tumour inside the abdomen will press on the small and large intestine, causing distension of abdomen on eating. Eventually, these effects may require a hospital admission to administer fluids by vein and bring about temporary relief of the symptoms.  Occasionally the disease may spread through the blood vessels or lymph nodes and show up in the lungs or liver. If it lands in the lung cavity, the cancer can cause the fluid to develop around the lung (pleural effusion ) which can cause chest pain and difficulty in breathing, rarely, patients can present with cancer in their brain,and that can produce changes in personality, decreased ability to think clearly (cognitive changes ), or seizures.

What can I do for constipation?

Constipation is a very common complaint for women with ovarian cancer. It is typically present at diagnosis and can persist through out treatments and recurrence. Because ovarian cancer tends to grow along the surface of your bowels, the normal function of the bowel is affected which results in constipation. You may require the use of laxatives and stool softeners, such as senna and colace. If constipation is related to pain medications or progression of your cancer, these may not work enough.

What can I do for fatigue?

Fatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy and of the cancer itself. Many women find their own personal way of coping with it. If you are found to be anemic, often using medications to increase your red cell count, may help. If you are in chemotherapy, drinking fluids may help by preventing dehydration. Try not to restrict yourself solely to water ; use fluids rich in metabolites to replenish important electrolytes that may be lost as your body copes with the chemotherapy. Fatigue may also be a side effect of medications, like anti nausea agents and pain medications. If this is happening to you, talk to your doctor about alternatives that may be available but not cause as much tiredness. Finally, try your best to say active, even though it may be difficult at first, you may find it becomes easier with time.

Can my ovarian cancer come back, if my ovaries have already been removed?

Ovarian cancer cells can escape outside the ovary and be present in many parts of the pelvic and abdominal cavity, particularly in the lining of the peritoneum. They can hide in lymph nodes in any part of your body; they can even show up as microscopic cells in your lung, liver, bone and brain.

Removal of the ovaries will ensure that the original site of cancer is removed, but it does not guarantee that the cancer will not show up elsewhere in your body. At the time of diagnosis, you may have a small but undetectable volume of cancer cells floating throughout your peritoneum and entire body; if not treated, these cells may grow and eventually present as a tumour recurrence. This is why most patients with ovarian cancer should receive post surgical (or adjuvant) chemotherapy after surgery. It’s a way to secure the destruction of any potential “microscopic metastasis” that may have escaped the ovaries.

What happens if the cancer comes back?

If ovarian cancer recurs, your treatment will depend on where the cancer is found and the length of the interval away from chemotherapy (also known as treatment free interval or TFI) the TFI is usually measured from the date of the last chemotherapy treatment after your initial surgery to the date of recurrence. In general, if your cancer comes back and requires treatment with another round of chemotherapy within 6 months (after you completed the prior treatment ), it is considered unlikely to respond to another round of platinum based chemotherapy, sometimes referred to as platinum resistance. Your oncologist will generally offer you other chemotherapy drugs that work in a different way, so called second line chemotherapy.

What to do if the CA-125 reading starts to rise again?

First don't panic. Fluctuations of the CA_125 are usual and, because of this, your physician may not be too concerned about a rise, as long as the reading stays within the normal range (in most laboratories below 35). If the CA_125 reading starts to rise but stays in the normal range, it calls for careful observation. This means that your physician may bring you in on a monthly basis as opposed to every 3 months in order to track your marker more closely. If it starts to rise above normal it is very important to have the CA-125 repeated and confirmed.

Homoeopathic treatment

Homeopathic  medicines for  Ovaries Cancer include:- Lachesis, Kreosote, Ars.alb, Aurum mur, nat. are chief remedies.

For Right Ovary: Belladonna, Calcarea,Sepia, Lyco, Apis, and Iodium, are use full.

For Left Ovary:  Lachesis, Lillium  tig , Kali carb, Stramonium, and Naja are indicated.

In chronic cases Conium  has been found useful.

In chronic cases in hardness of ovaries:

• Apis mellifica,- when there is stinging pain mostly on the right side, urine scanty, no thirst 
• Lachesis :for left sided pain when even the touch of clothes is unbearable, belt is not bearable.
• Thuja ; for hardness of the left side, chronic cases the patient feels better on hot fomentation,

Aur.mur.Platina,Graphites, Pulsatilla, Colocynthis,Fferrum phos, should also be consulted. Apis mel; for right sided dropsy, when there is stinging pain, fluid collects in ovary, it is swollen and sometimes pus is also formed. Iodium : for the right ovary when there is a bearing down feeling, pain and collection of fluid under ovaries, this may be tried.