the omentum (the thin, fatty pad of tissue that covers the intestines)
nearby lymph nodes
samples of tissue from the pelvis and abdomen
If the cancer has spread, the surgeon removes as much cancer as possible.
This is called "debulking" surgery.
If you have early Stage I ovarian cancer, the extent of surgery may depend on
whether you want to get pregnant and have children. Some women with very early
ovarian cancer may decide with their doctor to have only one ovary, one
fallopian tube, and the omentum removed.
You may be uncomfortable for the first few days after surgery. Medicine can
help control your pain. Before surgery, you should discuss the plan for pain
relief with your doctor or nurse. After surgery, your doctor can adjust the plan
if you need more pain relief.
The time it takes to heal after surgery is different for each woman. You will
spend several days in the hospital. It may be several weeks before you return to
normal activities.
If you haven't gone through menopause yet, surgery may cause hot flashes,
vaginal dryness, and night sweats. These symptoms are caused by the sudden loss
of female hormones. Talk with your doctor or nurse about your symptoms so that
you can develop a treatment plan together. There are drugs and lifestyle changes
that can help, and most symptoms go away or lessen with time.
You may want to ask your doctor these questions about surgery:
What kind of surgery do you recommend for me? Will lymph nodes and other
tissues be removed? Why?
How soon will I know the results from the pathology report? Who will explain
them to me?
How will I feel after surgery?
If I have pain, how will it be controlled?
How long will I be in the hospital?
Will I have any long-term effects because of this surgery?
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled, sac-like structures within an ovary. Causes of ovarian cysts are numerous. Symptoms of an ovarian cysts may be pain in the belly or pelvis. Treatment of an ovarian cysts depends on type of cyst.
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include portal hypertension, congestive heart failure, blood clots, and pancreatitis. The most common symptoms include increased abdominal girth and size, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on the cause of ascites.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents raising their grandchildren. The majority of caregivers are middle-aged women. Caregiving can be very stressful, so it's important to recognize when it's putting to much strain on you and to take steps to prevent/relieve stress.
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