Ovarian Cancer
Approximately one of every seventy women in the United
States will contract ovarian cancer at some point in her life.
The risk of developing this form of cancer increases with
early age at first menstruation, late menopause, and no
pregnancies. All of these conditions increase the chances
that estrogen, the primary female hormone, will stimulate
the development of ovarian cancer. High-fat diets, the use
of talcum powder in the underwear, and exposure to
asbestos or radiation have also been associated with an
increased risk for ovarian cancer. Heredity also plays a role
in this disorder.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are abdominal swelling,
masses in the abdomen, bleeding, lower back pain, and
urinary difficulties. Benign ovarian cysts can also cause these
symptoms. (Sudden, sharp, and severe pain is usually
caused by an ovarian cyst.) Because the symptoms of
ovarian cancer overlap with several other conditions, this cancer
is difficult to detect early and is frequently diagnosed only
at an advanced stage.
A firm diagnosis is made by biopsy, although a number
of other tests may be performed. Ovarian cancer is
classified into stages I through IV by the extent of spread and by
the type of cell from which it originated. It most often
spreads to nearby organs within the abdomen, and then to
the liver, lungs, or bones.
A number of conventional treatments are used for
ovarian cancer. About 50 percent of
ovarian cancers involve a defect in the "cancer-patrol"
gene p53, a gene that is also important in controlling most
kinds of cancer occurring in the breast,
cervix, colon,
lungs,
and prostate, and in all strains of small-cell
lung cancer.
Herbal treatment is most likely to be helpful in these cases.
Always use herbal medicine as part of a medically directed
overall treatment plan.
Supplements and herbs
- Astragalus capsules. Take 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.
Increases production of immune-system chemical interleukin-2 (IL -2), which
fights human papilloma
virus (HPV). Activates gene pS3.
- Espinheira santa tincture. Take as directed on the label.
Slows growth of ovarian tumors.
- Green tea catechin extract. Take 250-500 mg daily.
Deactivates plasmin, which helps tumors spread.
- Mistletoe loranthus or
mulberry mistletoe. Use only under professional supervision.
Greatly increases survival time in advanced ovarian cancer.
- PSK tablets. Take 6,000 mg daily.
Simulates production of immune agent IL -2.
- Quercetin tablets. Take 125-250 mg 3 times daily, between meals.
Stops chemical signals that give ovarian cancer cells a growth advantage over healthy cells.
Do not take quercetin with cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimunne) or nifedipine (Procardia).
- Soy isoflavone concentrate tablets. Take 3,000 mg daily.
Interrupts multiplication of ovarian cancer cells.
- Turmeric curcumin tablets. Take 250-500 mg twice daily, between meals.
Activates gene p53. Prevents inflammation.
HERBS TO AVOID - People who have ovarian cancer should avoid the
following herbs: cordyceps,
dan shen,
fennel,
licorice, and
peony.
Additional things you may do
- Use both quercetin and soy isoflavones. Studies at the
Indiana University School of Medicine have found that
quercetin and genistein, a key soy isoflavone, enhance each
other's effects.
- Take 200 micrograms of selenium daily. Selenium
supplements are especially useful for women with ovarian
cancer who are undergoing multi-medication chemotherapy.
- Avoid weight-loss diets and fasts. Although certain
kinds of fat restriction reduce the risk of developing
ovarian cancer, calorie restriction after the disease has
developed may accelerate the disorder's progress.
- Surgery is the first line of treatment for ovarian cancer. In addition to
the ovary, the uterus and fallopian tubes also may be removed, as may the
membrane that lines the abdomen. After surgery, physicians give combinations of
chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy.
- Doctors can do a preliminary test for ovarian cancer,
using either ultrasound or a cancer marker test called
CA-125, without resorting to surgery. It has also been
found that women with early-stage ovarian cancer tend to
have elevated levels of a compound known as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in their
blood. Research is underway
on the possibility that testing for LPA levels might provide
a way to screen for this disease and, hopefully, detect it in
earlier stages.
- The dietary factors that contribute to the risk of ovarian
cancer are more specific than those for other cancers.
Vegetable fiber decreases risk by approximately 60 percent for each
10-gram increase in the average daily amount of vegetable
fiber consumed (about that found in five to seven servings
of vegetables). Each increase in daily saturated fat consumption of 10 grams (about 100 calories) increases risk of
developing ovarian cancer approximately 20 percent; consumption of unsaturated fats neither increases nor decreases
risk. Cholesterol from eggs, but not from other sources,
increases risk of developing ovarian cancer approximately
40 percent for each 100-milligram increase in average daily
consumption (about half of an egg). (Increased risk is also
associated with total cholesterol levels over 100 mg/ dl.) In
addition, habitual consumption of more than two alcoholic
drinks per day is associated with increased risk.
- Adequate levels of selenium not only support
treatment for ovarian cancer but also reduce the risk of
developing this disease. Low levels of selenium have been
associated with a greater risk of ovarian cancer. A daily
dosage of between 150 and 200 micrograms is enough.
Other beneficial herbs
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