How Fast Does Ovarian Cancer Grow from Stage 1 to 4?
Women whose medical plan mean delayed treatment for suspected stage 1 ovarian cancer fear that it’ll grow to stage 4 by the time surgery is performed.
Ovarian cancer is uncommonly discovered at stage 1. But there are cases when incidentally a concerning mass is detected when the patient is being imaged for an unrelated reason.
There is the case of a woman whose doctor suspected she might have an early ovarian cancer.
However, due to the patient’s slow-moving medical plan, the steps leading up to surgery—if further investigation pointed towards a malignancy—would take several months.
She was terrified that during all that time the confined tumor—if that’s indeed what she had—would spread to her organs.
How Long to Go from Stage 1 Ovarian Cancer to Stage 4?
“Ovarian cancer grows or spreads very quickly,” says Julian Schink, MD, Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Medical Director of Gynecologic and Medical Oncology, Midwestern Regional Medical Center.
“In many cases it grows bigger and faster in the omentum [fatty layer that supports intestines and organs] than it does in the ovary or fallopian tube,” continues Dr. Schink.
“In my opinion some cases are stage 3 from the beginning because we sometimes see the pre-invasive (STIC) serous cells in a fallopian tube and a huge serous cancer in the omentum.”
There is no precise timeline identified for how long it takes stage 1 ovarian cancer to develop into stage 4.
If a woman’s initial diagnosis is stage 4, then nobody knows how far back she would have been diagnosed as stage 1.
If her initial diagnosis is stage 1…then the ovarian cancer is going to be treated, and hence, there’s no way to determine how long it would have taken to grow to a stage 4.
For more information on this disease or other gynecological malignancies, contact Cancer Treatment Centers of America at (844) 632-7188.
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- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Appetite suppression or feeling full after eating only small amounts of food
- Back pain
- Constipation
- Expanding belly despite no increase in food intake
- Fatigue or gas without explanation
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pain during sex or bleeding afterwards
- Pelvic heaviness, especially on one side
- Pelvic pain, especially on one side
- Urinary frequency
- Vaginal bleeding
- Weight loss despite not dieting
With 25+ years of experience, and board certified in gynecologic oncology and OB/GYN, Dr. Schink is dedicated to caring for patients and advancing treatments for gynecologic malignancies. His surgery and chemotherapy treatments include those for ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Chinnapong
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Coughing Overnight Caused by Lisinopril vs. Acid Reflux
Both Lisinopril and acid reflux can cause overnight coughing.
The affected person isn’t necessarily awake during all that coughing, either, even though other people in the house may be. The Lisinopril cough and the acid reflux cough can also occur in the same person throughout the same night.
This is why one might wonder if there’s a way to tell the difference between a cough caused by Lisinopril (a high blood pressure drug) and acid reflux, which is exacerbated by a lying-flat position, allowing acidic contents from the stomach to reflux upward and into the throat.
The condition of acid reflux affecting the throat is is called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
“Acid reflux is a common cause of heartburn; a chronic cough may also occur,” says William Manger, MD, PhD, founder of the National Hypertension Association, professor emeritus at the New York School of Medicine, and author of the book, “Live Longer, Live Better: Avoid the Risks.”
A burning sensation in the chest is not always present because the acid doesn’t stay in the esophagus long enough (as it makes its way to the throat) to cause the so-called heartburn.
The cough is due to the acid making contact with the vocal cords. This triggers mucus production to coat the cords to protect them from the acid.
This entire process causes a tickling sensation or otherwise irritating feeling in the throat, causing coughing – even while someone sleeps. It doesn’t sound pretty, but it’s not an urgent situation, either.
“Measuring the acidity in the swallowing tube may be helpful in diagnosing acid reflux,” says Dr. Manger. “Raising the head of the bed may be helpful in avoiding acid reflux and cough at night.
“It may be necessary to avoid the use of Lisinopril to determine whether it is the cause of the cough.”
Do not stop taking Lisinopril without first consulting with your prescribing physician.
“I am not aware that there is any marked difference in the sound of the cough caused by Lisinopril or acid reflux,” adds Dr. Manger.
“If the cough continues despite discontinuing of Lisinopril then it seems that Lisinopril is not the cause of the cough.”
Dr. Manger, who began practicing medicine in 1949, has conducted research on the mechanism of salt-induced hypertension, and has published research in peer-reviewed journals. He passed away in 2024 at the age of 103.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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