Omentum Cancer Symptoms, Survival Rate, Treatment

Learn all about Omentum cancer its signs and symptoms. Also, learn about survival rate and the treatment of Omentum cancer. The omentum is a pad of fat cells that covers the stomach and intestines, the University of Chicago Medical Center states. Ovarian cancer tends to spread to the omentum quickly.

The greater omentum is a large apron-like fold of visceral peritoneum that hangs down from the stomach. It extends from the greater curvature of the stomach, passing in front of the small intestines and doubles back to ascend to the transverse colon before reaching to the posterior abdominal wall.

Omentum cancer caused due to ovarian cancer, tends to begin in the ovaries, which are present on each side of the uterus in women. Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect in the early stages until it has spread to other regions such as the abdomen and omentum. Ovarian cancer detected in the later stages is difficult to and does cause fatalities. Ovarian cancer grows quickly and can progress from early to advanced stages within a year.

Ovarian cancer or omentum cancer tends to develop after menopause and the risk increases with age. Some studies indicate that hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk to ovarian and omentum cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women and the fifth leading cause of female cancer death. Each year in the United States, about 22,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. About 15,000 American women die each year from the disease.

Omentum cancer can be treated by surgical removal of the omentum. The accompanying ovarian cancer would also involve treatment that uses surgery for removal of the ovaries and other affected tissues.

Chemotherapy may be used to intravenously inject drugs that are specifically designed to find and kill the cancer cells. Such drugs may also be directly injected into the abdomen to kill the abnormal cells that cause omentum cancer.

Omentum Cancer Symptoms

Omentum cancer is caused by ovarian cancer and hence tends to show the symptoms as similar to those of ovarian cancer. Some of the symptoms of Omentum cancer are listed below:

• Pressure, bloating, swelling or fullness of the abdomen
• Indigestion that is persistent, nausea or gas
• Pain or discomfort in the pelvic region
• Bowel habits alterations that include constipation
• Unexplained appetite loss, or feeling of rapid satiety
• Alterations in bladder habits, such as increases in the urge to urinate frequently
• The clothes may become tighter around the waist, which may be caused due to increase in abdominal girth.
• Pain in the lower back
• Lack of energy or fatigue that persists
• Weight loss
• Anemia

Omentum Cancer Survival Rate

Survival rates are determined by outcomes of large populations, and outcomes vary from person to person. The survival rate for women with Stage IIIA epithelial ovarian cancer is 59 percent after 5 years. Chances of survival are lower if cancer has spread further.

Women who are diagnosed before age 65 tend to have a better prognosis. About 75% of women survive ovarian cancer at least 1 year after diagnosis. Nearly half (46%) or women are alive 5 years after diagnosis. (This is called the 5-year survival rate.) In general, overall 5-year survival rates (all stages combined) increased from 37% in 1974 to greater than 50% currently. The survival rate varies according to the cancer stage:

• Five-year survival rates are over 90% if the cancer is still confined to the ovary at diagnosis. However, only 19% of ovarian cancers are found at this stage.
• If cancer has spread to nearby regions in the pelvis, the 5-year survival rate is about 70%.
• If cancer has spread to sites outside the pelvis, the 5-year survival rate is about 30%.

Omentum Cancer Treatment

Omentum cancer is generally treated by surgery and chemotherapy. In general, the course of treatment is determined by the stage of cancer. Stages range from I to IV based on cancer’s specific characteristics, such as whether it has spread beyond the ovaries.

Surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer. Following surgery, women with higher-stage tumors may receive chemotherapy Surgery for ovarian cancer uses laparotomy, a major abdominal operation. It is the primary diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer and also plays a role in treatment.

Omentectomy refers to the surgical removal of the omentum, a relatively simple procedure with no major side effects that is performed in cases where there is concern that there may be spread of cancerous tissue into the omentum. Women can also consider enrolling in clinical trials that are investigating new types of treatments. Chemotherapy may be used as the initial treatment in some women with advanced ovarian cancer.

• A platinum-based drug, such as carboplatin (Paraplatin) or cisplatin (Platinol) Carboplatin is preferred over cisplatin in the combination. Carboplatin works as well as cisplatin but is less toxic and can be administered in a more convenient, outpatient regimen.
• A taxane, such as paclitaxel (Taxol) or docetaxel (Taxotere). Currently, paclitaxel is the drug most often used as initial therapy in combination with a platinum drug.