Risky Business Science Teacher Lisa Mueller has surgery to remove organs
Ovarian Cancer Statistics
• The American Cancer Society estimates fabout 22,530 women will receive a new diagnosis for ovarian cancer in the United States for 2019. About 13,980 women will die annually from ovarian cancer. • Ovarian cancer is ranked 5th in cancer deaths among women. • The average risk of ovarian cancer during a woman’s lifetime is 1:78. • The chance of dying from ovarian cancer is 1:108. • Ovarian cancer develops mainly in older women-about half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 63 years or older. • Ovarian cancer is more common in white women than any other race. • Ovarian cancer is slowly becoming less common-the rate of diagnosis has steadily declined over the past 20 years. According to Cancer.org and Mayo Clinic
How Does Cancer Develop?
Although the cause of ovarian cancer is unclear, there are risk factors identified by doctors that can increase the risk of the disease. Cancer begins when a cell develops errors/ mutations in DNA. The mutations tell the cells to grow and multiply quickly, creating a tumor of abnormal cells. They then invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).
Types of Ovarian Cancer Epithelial tumors: begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers outside of ovaries. 90% of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors. Stromal tumors: begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells. Usually diagnosed at an earlier stage. About 7% of ovarian cancers are stromal tumors. Germ-cell tumors: begin in the egg-producing cells. Germ-cell tumors are more rare than the other 2 and tend to occur in younger women.
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Towards the beginning of the school year, science teacher Lisa Mueller found out that she had to have a bilateral salpingooophorectomy (by-LA-teh-rul sal-PINgoh-oh-oh-foh-REK-toh-mee), which is a surgery patients have when at risk for ovarian cancer. During the surgery, a woman’s ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed. “I found out that I had to have the surgery only three weeks before I had it,” Mueller said, “Usually people find out months ahead of time.” Before the surgery, Mueller had to give herself shots in the stomach due to her blood condition. “I have a condition where my blood is really thick and I have to take blood thinners every day,” Mueller said. “So before any surgery, I have to give myself shots in the stomach twice a day.” The shots help insure that Mueller wouldn’t bleed too much during the operation. “Since the surgery didn’t involve removing my uterus, only my fallopian tubes and ovaries, it was suggested by my doctor that I take
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For younger females hoping to have children but having to have this surgery, it’s sad and I wish that they wouldn’t have to go through that.
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four to six weeks off of work,” Mueller said. “However, I only took two weeks off.” While Mueller was put on a ten-pound weight restriction for a sixweek period, she feels pretty good. “The only effect that I’ve noticed is that my abdomen hurt the first three weeks, which is obviously going to happen to anyone who has this surgery,” Mueller said. “I’m also really tired all of the time and it’s hard to regain strength and have energy.” While Mueller didn’t plan on having kids, this surgery for younger women could have a bigger impact. “At my age, I didn’t mind having the surgery since I won’t need my ovaries and fallopian tubes to produce offspring,” Mueller said. “Although for younger females hoping to have children but having to have this surgery, it’s sad and I wish that they wouldn’t have to go through that.” Mueller encourages anyone showing symptoms of ovarian cancer or anyone who has a family history to contact their doctor about it and get checked. By: Zoey Lopshire, A&E Editor
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