Medical Dictionary |
A Medical Dictionary of Medical Terminology
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Your small intestine is part of your digestive system. It is a long tube that connects your stomach to your large intestine. Intestinal cancer is rare, but eating a high-fat diet or having Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or a history of colonic polyps can increase your risk.
Possible signs of small intestine cancer include:
Imaging tests that create pictures of the small intestine and the area around it can help diagnose intestinal cancer and show whether it has spread.
Surgery is the most common treatment. Additional options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control and form a tumor. Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor that forms in the tissues of an ovary. The ovaries are a pair of female reproductive glands that make eggs and female hormones.
What are the types of ovarian cancer?There are a few different types of ovarian cancer. The most common type is epithelial cancer. It begins in the cells that cover the ovary.
There are also two related types of epithelial cancer that can spread to the ovaries:
These two cancers are like ovarian cancer, and they have the same treatments. So some medical experts also consider those two types as ovarian cancer.
Some other rarer types of ovarian cancer are malignant germ cell tumors and stromal tumors.
What causes ovarian cancer?Ovarian cancer happens when there are changes (mutations) in the genetic material (DNA). Often, the exact cause of these genetic changes is unknown.
Most ovarian cancers are caused by genetic changes that happen during your lifetime. But sometimes these genetic changes are inherited, meaning that you are born with them. Ovarian cancer that is caused by inherited genetic changes is called hereditary ovarian cancer.
There are also certain genetic changes that can raise your risk of ovarian cancer, including changes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These two changes also raise your risk of breast and other cancers.
Besides genetics, your lifestyle and the environment can affect your risk of ovarian cancer.
Who is more likely to develop ovarian cancer?Certain people are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. They include those who:
Ovarian cancer may not cause early signs or symptoms. By the time you do have signs or symptoms, the cancer is often advanced.
The signs and symptoms may include:
To find out if you have ovarian cancer, your health care provider:
Often the only way to know for sure that you have ovarian cancer is by having a biopsy of the tissue. A biopsy is done during surgery to remove the tumor.
What are the treatments for ovarian cancer?Treatments for ovarian cancer may include:
Your provider may suggest that you have genetic testing to look for the gene changes that raise the risk for ovarian cancer. Knowing whether you have the gene change may help your provider decide on your treatment plan.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Your cornea is the outermost layer of your eye. It is clear and shaped like a dome. The cornea helps to shield the rest of the eye from germs, dust, and other harmful matter. It also helps your eye to focus. If you wear contact lenses, they float on top of your corneas.
Problems with the cornea include:
Treatments of corneal disorders include medicines, corneal transplantation, and corneal laser surgery.
NIH: National Eye Institute
Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That's why regular eye exams are so important. Refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem that makes it hard to see clearly. But some eye conditions or diseases don't have any symptoms and can lead to a permanent loss of vision.
Some common eye diseases and conditions include:
Some eye conditions and diseases do not always have symptoms. Early detection through a comprehensive dilated eye exam could help your eye care provider detect diseases in the early stages. Proper treatment could help slow or prevent vision loss.
Get regular eye exams and call your eye care professional right away if you notice any of these symptoms:
Getting older increases your risk of some eye diseases. Other things that may put you at a higher risk of some eye diseases can include if you:
Treatment may depend on the eye condition or disease but can include:
Depending on your eye condition or disease, treatment may slow vision loss but may not restore vision. Talk to your provider about what treatment is best for you.
Can eye diseases be prevented?Your best defense is to have regular checkups. Be sure to tell your provider if any eye diseases run in your family.
You can also help take care of your vision by making lifestyle changes to lower your risk of health conditions that can cause vision problems. This could include by:
NIH: National Eye Institute