[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kenneth-D-Nahum.jpg"}],"headline":"Ovarian Cancer \u2013 What We Know Today About Risk Factors and Early Detection: A Conversation with RCCA\u2019s Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum","dateModified":"2021-11-11T14:52:57+00:00","datePublished":"2018-04-15T16:57:33+00:00","description":"Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum of RCCA Howell talks about the early symptoms, genetic testing and examinations of ovarian cancer.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApril 15, 2018\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nOvarian cancer carries a specific set of risk factors, from environmental causes to hereditary traits, and the key to decreasing mortality rates is early detection. For example, half of all ovarian cancers occur in women older than 63 years of age, while women who have used oral contraceptives have a lower risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer. Understanding these risk factors is essential for doctors and patients when approaching prevention and treatment.\nDr. Kenneth D. Nahum, an oncology and hematology specialist at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in Howell, New Jersey, says that ovarian cancer is \u201cstill a leading cause of death in gynecological malignancies,\u201d and that there are approximately 22,000 new cases a year. Dr Nahum notes that although there\u2019s no definitive screening technique for ovarian cancer, consulting with your gynecologist and being evaluated \u2013 especially if you\u2019re having early symptoms \u2013 is crucial to early detection.\nAccording to Dr. Nahum, \u201cThe most common symptoms to have are abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, increase in abdominal size, difficulty eating and fatigue.\u201d Additionally, Dr. Nahum indicates that abnormal vaginal bleeding may also be an early symptom of ovarian cancer. Since early cancers of the ovaries may be undetectable or indistinguishable from other more common conditions, women should pay close attention to possible warning signs and schedule regular health exams.\nExaminations For Early Detection\nAs per the American Cancer Society, approximately 20% of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage. Although there is no universal screening test available at this time, various examinations may be performed to help detect ovarian cancer before it spreads. \u201cEarly detection is important,\u201d says Dr. Nahum, \u201cbecause survival for Stage I in five years is 90%, whereas for Stage IV, you\u2019re talking about probably a 25%, five-year survival rate.\u201d\nThe best method for early detection is a physical exam performed by a gynecologist. The doctor will look for signs, such as an enlarged ovary or fluid in the abdomen, which may lead to further testing. Dr. Nahum explains that another prominent technique is ultrasonography, or an ultrasound. These studies are capable of locating an ovarian tumor and detecting whether or not it\u2019s a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst. In addition, if the patient has a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer, testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is crucial to early detection.\nGenetic Testing For BRCA1 And BRCA2 Mutations \nWomen with a significant family history of malignancy should strongly consider testing for both the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. \u201cIf you have the BRCA1 mutation, there\u2019s a 35-45% chance you\u2019re going to go on to develop an ovarian neoplasm,\u201d explains Dr. Nahum, who adds, \u201cIf you\u2019re BRCA2, you have about a 15-25% chance of going on to develop an ovarian neoplasm. So at that point in time, these women have to be screened very carefully, and if they\u2019ve already had their children, it\u2019s usually strongly recommended to go for a prophylactic oophorectomy.\u201d\nA prophylactic oophorectomy is the removal of the ovaries to prevent or treat ovarian cancer. However, if the woman is of child-bearing age and plans on having children, it\u2019s best to be monitored closely by a gynecologist and consider having the surgery later on. Women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes should also be closely monitored by their gynecologist and consider both prophylactic oophorectomy and mastectomy surgeries, according to Dr. Nahum.\nSince the carrier for the mutation in the general population is about 1 in 300 or even fewer, Dr. Nahum says that without a family history for these specific genes, there\u2019s no data suggesting that having genetic testing done will benefit women\u2019s chances of early detection.\nOral Contraceptives And Lowering The Risk Of Developing Ovarian Cancer\nStudies have shown that oral contraceptives may help lower the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Women who used birth control pills for five years decreased their risk for ovarian cancer by 40% and reduced lifetime ovulations by 15%. Therefore, ovulation inhibition may contribute to lower rates of ovarian cancer among women who use oral contraceptives. However, as Dr. Nahum points out, although the pill may decrease the incidence of this type of cancer in women, oral contraceptives are not recommended for prophylactic use at this time.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 833-200-4860. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ovarian Cancer \u2013 What We Know Today About Risk Factors and Early Detection: A Conversation with RCCA\u2019s Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/ovarian-cancer-know-today-risk-factors-early-detection-conversation-rccas-dr-kenneth-d-nahum\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]