Facts about Ovarian Metastastis From the Colon

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific and mimic those of many other more common conditions, including digestive and bladder disorders." Colon cancer may also spread to the lymph nodes, bones, lungs and liver. There are particular signs and symptoms that the cancer has spread to the ovaries.

Abdominal Discomfort

• Patients with colon cancer that has spread to the ovaries may have already been experiencing pain, fullness or bloating in the abdomen from the colon cancer and may not realize the cancer has spread. Patients may also experience persistent indigestion, gas or nausea as well as changes in bowel habits, such as constipation. One may lose their appetite or quickly feel full after a meal.

Pelvic Discomfort

• Women may experience pain during intercourse, lower back pain and general pelvic discomfort. According to the Mayo Clinic, patients may also experience changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate as well as changes in menstruation (more bleeding, much less bleeding or erratic bleeding).

The following is an abstract from a Colorectal Medical Journal

Abstract

Objective  To improve management of ovarian metastasis through assessment of clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes associated with ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer.

Method  We recruited 103 subjects who were diagnosed with ovarian metastasis and subjected to surgery between June 1989 and December 2005. Clinical and pathological variables were evaluated. Survival and its associated factors were analysed with a median follow-up of 31 months after ovarian surgery (range 1–129 months).

Results  The mean age at diagnosis was 46 years (range 14–72 years), synchronous ovarian metastasis occurred in 74 patients and metachronous in 29 patients. The primary tumour was more commonly associated with the colon rather than the rectum (84/1608, 5.2%vs 19/1534, 1.2%, P < 0.001). Combined metastases occurred in 69 patients (67%). Complete resection was achieved in 34 (33%) patients without other metastases. The estimated 5-year disease free survival and overall survival rate were 40.1% and 26.6%, respectively. From univariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion (35.6%vs 12.8%, P = 0.034), combined metastasis (50.9%vs 15.6%, P = 0.0035) and bilaterale ovarian metastasis (36.4%vs 10.6%, P = 0.015) were identified as significant poor prognosis factors, and from multivariate analysis combined metastasis and bilaterale ovarian metastasis were significant (P = 0.034 and P = 0.015, respectively).

Conclusion  This study suggests a role for regular follow-up computed tomography scans within 6 months postoperatively and tumour marker assays for the early detection of ovarian metastasis in premenopausal women after primary surgery, especially in colonic patients with poor prognostic factors.

Diagnosis

A pelvic examination and imaging including CT scan^[39] and trans-vaginal ultrasound are essential. Physical examination may reveal increased abdominal girth and/or ascites (fluid within the abdominal cavity). Pelvic examination may reveal an ovarian or abdominal mass. The pelvic examination can include a Rectovaginal component for better palpation of the ovaries. For very young patients, magnetic resonance imaging may be preferred to rectal and vaginal examination.
To definitively diagnose ovarian cancer, a surgical procedure to take a look into the abdomen is required. This can be an open procedure (laparotomy, incision through the abdominal wall) or keyhole surgery (laparoscopy). During this procedure, suspicious areas will be removed and sent for microscopic analysis. Fluid from the abdominal cavity can also be analysed for cancerous cells. If there is cancer, this procedure can also determine its spread (which is a form of tumor staging).

Staging

Ovarian cancer staging is by the FIGO staging system and uses information obtained after surgery, which can include a total abdominal hysterectomy, removal of (usually) both ovaries and fallopian tubes, (usually) the omentum, and pelvic (peritoneal) washings for cytopathology. The AJCC stage is the same as the FIGO stage. The AJCC staging system describes the extent of the primary Tumor (T), the absence or presence of metastasis to nearby lymph Nodes (N), and the absence or presence of distant Metastasis (M).^[43]

• Stage I — limited to one or both ovaries
  • IA — involves one ovary; capsule intact; no tumor on ovarian surface; no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washings
  • IB — involves both ovaries; capsule intact; no tumor on ovarian surface; negative washings
  • IC — tumor limited to ovaries with any of the following: capsule ruptured, tumor on ovarian surface, positive washings
• Stage II — pelvic extension or implants
  • IIA — extension or implants onto uterus or fallopian tube; negative washings
  • IIB — extension or implants onto other pelvic structures; negative washings
  • IIC — pelvic extension or implants with positive peritoneal washings

 Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian adenocarcinoma deposit in the mesentry of the small bowel

• Stage III — peritoneal implants outside of the pelvis; or limited to the pelvis with extension to the small bowel or omentum
  • IIIA — microscopic peritoneal metastases beyond pelvis
  • IIIB — macroscopic peritoneal metastases beyond pelvis less than 2 cm in size
  • IIIC — peritoneal metastases beyond pelvis > 2 cm or lymph node metastases
• Stage IV — distant metastases to the liver or outside the peritoneal cavity

                                   Testimonial of Patient with Colon Cancer that Metastasized to Ovary

http://ovariancancer.jhmi.edu/prognosis.cfm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2650975/
 

Free Colon Cancer Testing Kits Available In March

Genesis Health System has released a great offer to those who would like to be tested for colon cancer in four cities of New Mexico.  Hopefully, this trend of free colon testing will expand to many other states in the U.S.

Anyone 50 years old or older, or those with other factors associated with an increased risk of colon cancer, are encouraged to pick up and return a free colon cancer testing kit in the Quad Cities during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March.

The kits are provided free of charge as long as supplies last. This annual screening is sponsored by Genesis Health System, Walgreens Drug Stores, Illini Laboratory and the American Cancer Society. Completed kits should be mailed to the Illini Laboratory. Participants will have results mailed to them within four weeks.

The kits are designed to detect small amounts of hidden blood that can indicate early problems with polyps or cancer before other symptoms are apparent. Anyone with a positive test should contact their family physician and ask about a colonoscopy.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 143,500 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2012 and nearly 51,000 will die from the disease. Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined.

Both men and women are at risk for colon cancer and more lives could be saved if people better understood the risks of the disease and received regular testing.

Screening and colonoscopy are the most effective ways to prevent colon cancer from developing. Most cases of the disease begin as non-cancerous polyps, which are growths on the lining of the colon and rectum. These polyps can become cancerous.

Removing polyps during a colonoscopy can prevent colorectal cancer from developing. Approximately 90 percent of colorectal cancers and deaths are thought to be preventable. Because there are often no symptoms to polyps, it is important to be routinely screened.

or more information on colon cancer, including risk factors, prevention options, and early detection methods, please call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Free kits can be picked up at the following locations in March, or until supplies last:

Walgreens Drug Stores

Bettendorf: 830 Middle Road, 3425 Middle Road; Clinton: 806 S. 4th St., 1905 N. 2nd St.; Davenport: 1805 Brady St., 1720 West Kimberly; 1525 East Kimberly, 1660 West Locust St., 4011 East 53rd St.; East Moline: 301 30th Ave.; 1301 Ave. of the Cities; Moline: 3601 16th St., 555 19th Ave.; 4000 Ave. of the Cities; Milan: 440 10th Ave. West; Muscatine:1703 Park Ave; Rock Island: 3100 11th St.; 2955 18th Ave.

Other Pick-Up Locations

Genesis Cancer Care Institute, 1351 West Central Park, Davenport; Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus, 801 Illini Drive, Silvis; Illini Laboratory, 801 Illini Drive, Silvis; Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt, 1118 11th Street, DeWitt; Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, West Campus Information Desks; Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, East Campus Information Desks; Jackson County Regional Health Center, Maquoketa; Mercer County Hospital, Aledo, Ill; American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, 2397 Cumberland Square, Bettendorf.

Risk Factors

Both men and women are at risk for colon cancer. Personal risk varies, so your doctor can help you make informed decisions about when to begin testing and the most appropriate testing method for you. Factors associated with increased risk for colon cancer include:

• Age – most diagnosed are 50 or older.
• Race – African Americans are at greater risk.
• Personal or family history of colon cancer.
• Personal or family history of intestinal polyps.
• Personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative or Crohn’s colitis).
  • Certain genetic factors (familial adenomatous polyposis, Gardner’s syndrome, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish descent).
  • Smoking, or use of other tobacco products.
  • Physical inactivity.
  • Diets high in red meat.
  
  

Circulating Tumor Cells Testing For More Personlized Cancer Treatment

Circulating tumor cells are cells that has detached themselves from the primary tumor into the blood stream.

                                                     Circulating tumor cells

The detection of CTCs may have important prognostic and therapeutic implications but because their numbers can be very small, these cells are not easily detected. Circulating tumor cells are found in frequencies in the order of 1-10 CTC per mL of whole blood in patients with metastatic disease. For comparison, a mL of blood contains a few million white blood cells and a billion red blood cells, see figure 1. This low frequency means that a key component of methods to detect CTC is the enrichment method.
First evidence indicates that CTC markers applied in human medicine are conserved in other species. Five of the more common markers including CK19 are also useful to detect CTC in the blood of dogs with malignant mammary tumors.

                                    Johnson and Johnson  explains why CTC testing is important.

Very recent news on using CTC testing for Breast Cancer is presented by Biocept. 
Biocept and Clarient, a GE Healthcare Company, have launched Biocept's breast cancer circulating tumor cell (CTC) test, OncoCEE-BR, performed on a blood sample in US.
OncoCEE-BR detects CTCs, which are rare, and determines the patient's HER2 status by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
The companies will market and sell the OncoCEE-BR CTC test to hospitals, pathologists and medical oncologists.
Biocept will perform the test in its laboratory and results will be interpreted and reported by Clarient's pathology group.
Clarient chief commercial officer Dave Daly said Biocept's OncoCEE-BR is an important test for their oncology portfolio, and will help the oncology community progress towards more personalized cancer care.

For more information: www.wikipdeia;  
http://laboratoryinstrumentation.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/news/biocept-clarient-launch-new-breast-cancer-ctc-test-080212

Colon Cancer -New Patient Friendly Testing

Dr. David Ahlquist explains in detail about the new DNA testing from a person's stool and does not require any preparation .  The ultimate plus is that because this new testing is such patient friendly that many lives will be saved.

                                              David M. Martin - Colon Cancer


Mayo clinic and Exact Science of Madison ,WI have collaborated together to develop a highly accurate and sensitive DNA test that will  in detecting pre-cancerous tumors in the colon and the early stages of cancer.
 Go to the following link to watch Dr. David Ahlquist on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6x1tQeoX5A&feature=player_embedded

Also you can read more at http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/

New Diagnostic Technology Helps Oncologists Diagnosis In Colon Cancer

Rapid molecular testing in the laboratories has greatly helped oncologists to diagnose cancers of the breast, lymphoma and leukemia.
One type of cancer that is a high-profile target for improved diagnostic testing is colon cancer. It is one of the most common malignancies in men and women. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 141,210 new cases of colon and rectal cancers will be reported and an estimated 49,380 Americans will die of these diseases this year.  Anytime time a lab presents new testing it requires financial,clinical and operational resources. Since there is a high rate of colon cancer it is important to have more accurate testing.  Past testing such occult blood and sigmoidoscopy are variable and can have false positives.  The new testing is using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to detect only human blood in stool, this technology has improved specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, the White Paper reported.

In conclusion, the ability of new technologies to contribute to improved performance of assays used in screening individuals for colorectal cancer demonstrate how swiftly the standard of care in laboratory medicine can be changed for the better. New generation FOB lab tests are one example of the types of changes now occurring across the entire range of testing services offered by clinical laboratories and pathology groups.

Read more: New Diagnostic Technology Creates Opportunities for Clinical Laboratories to Help Physicians with Faster, More Accurate Diagnoses | Dark Daily http://www.darkdaily.com/new-diagnostic-technology-creates-opportunities-for-clinical-laboratories-to-help-physicians-with-faster-more-accurate-diagnoses-10311#ixzz1hw54QQj0

Colon Cancer Stage 2 Testing News

About the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay and Stage II Colon Cancer

The Oncotype DX colon cancer assay is a colon cancer test that provides an individual, numerical assessment of how likely colon cancer is to return in patients with stage II colon cancer following surgery to remove the tumor. The multigene expression assay examines the activity of specific genes within a patient´s tumor sample in order to provide individualized information to each person and their physician about the specific biological make-up of their colon cancer.
The Oncotype DX assay is appropriate for people who are newly diagnosed with stage II colon cancer and is performed on tumor tissue removed during the original surgery. Because of this, the Oncotype DX assay does not require any additional surgery or procedures in order for a patient to get the test.
For detailed information about the Oncotype DX, please call: (866) ONCOTYPE or visit www.oncotypedx.com