If you have had a history of female reproductive illnesses and disorders in your family, then you should pay special attention to your body and what it’s telling you. Disorders of the reproductive systems are difficult, not only to diagnose, but also treat, much less understand. In many such cases, genes play a role, especially in understanding endometriosis versus ovarian cancer.
Both endometriosis and ovarian cancer are sadly fairly common in women around the world. In fact, the symptoms of endometriosis and ovarian cancer can overlap.
In both endometriosis and ovarian cancer, sufferers can feel intense abdominal pain or pelvic heaviness. They can experience nausea and vomiting, and can have reduced or increased appetites, leading to considerable weight loss or gain.
However, Endometriosis and ovarian cancer differ in the nature of the illness itself. Ovarian cancer begins with a few benign cysts that grow on the ovary. When these benign cells migrate to other parts of the body, they can become malignant, and can then be difficult to track and cure.
Endometriosis can be misconstrued as a cancer, simply because it also involves migration of cells to other parts of the body.
Endometrial tissue should only be found in the uterus, however Endometriosis sufferers will have small amounts of similar tissue within their pelvic cavity or attached to other organs.
Endometrial tissues can be found in many locations in the body, including the intestines, or even as far as the lungs. Once there, the tissues can interfere with normal bodily functions, causing inflammation and scar tissues to form, leading to severe pain.
Sometimes, these endometrial deposits can be targeted by the woman’s immune system and eventually be reabsorbed by the body.
Both endometriosis and ovarian cancer are found to have a hereditary component. That is, women who have relatives who suffer from these conditions are at a greater risk of developing them.
Because endometriosis is most likely caused by hormonal fluctuations, it can also lead to reproductive cancers, including ovarian. And, because genes code the way that hormones are regulated and function, both endometriosis and ovarian cancer can potentially trace their roots to the DNA sequence of a woman.
High estrogen levels may cause endometriosis and the body may repress the hormones that control estrogen as a result of a faulty gene.
As for ovarian cancer, the true cause of the cancer is yet unknown, but geneticists have found that certain genes are linked to the cancer’s progression.
For instance, mutations in the BRCA gene family, implicated in breast cancer development, have also been found to potentially increasing the risk for ovarian cancer.
The genetics of endometriosis versus ovarian cancer have yet to be completely understood, especially since the hormones and enzymes involved interact at various levels, and depend on the abundance of other hormones, compounds, and enzymes in the body. This has further complicated research into these fields, but scientists and physicians are working hard to understand the causes and develop effective methods of treatment.
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