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ovarian cancer Essay

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Of all gynecologic malignancies, ovarian cancer continues to have the highest mortality and is the most difficult to diagnose. In the United States female population, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in absolute mortality among cancer related deaths (13,000/yr). In most reported cases, ovarian cancer, when first diagnosed is in stages III or IV in about 60 to 70% of patients which further complicates treatment of the disease (Barber, 3).

Early detection in ovarian cancer is hampered by the lack of appropriate tumor markers and clinically, most patients fail to develop significant symptoms until they reach advanced stage disease. The characteristics of ovarian cancer have been studied in primary tumors and in established ovarian tumor …show more content…

By 1939, Schiller noted a histologic similarity to mesonephric tubules and classified these tumors as "mesonephromas." In 1944, Saphir and Lackner described two cases of "hypernephroid carcinoma of the ovary" and proposed "clear cell" adenocarcinoma as an alternative term. Clear cell tumors of the ovary are now generally considered to be of mullerian and in the genital tract of mullerian origin.
A number of examples of clear cell adenocarcinoma have been reported to arise from the epithelium of an endometriotic cyst (Yoonessi, 289). Occasionally, a renal cell carcinoma metastasizes to the ovary and may be confused with a primary clear cell adenocarcinoma.

Ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma (OCCA) has been recognized as a distinct histologic entity in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of ovarian tumors since 1973 and is the most lethal ovarian neoplasm with an overall five year survival of only 34% (Kennedy, 342). Clear cell adenocarcinoma, like most ovarian cancers, originates from the ovarian epithelium which is a single layer of cells found on the surface of the ovary. Patients with ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma are typically above the age of 30 with a median of 54 which is similar to that of ovarian epithelial cancer in general. OCCA represents approximately 6% of ovarian cancers and bilateral ovarian involvement occurs in less that 50% of patients even in advanced cases.

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