CLEVELAND — For years, doctors believed ovarian cancer began in the ovaries. Research now points somewhere else. Dr. Kevin Elias, a gynecologic oncologist and the Lilli and Seth Harris Endowed Chair for Ovarian Cancer Research at Cleveland Clinic, says about 75% to 80% of ovarian cancers start in the fallopian tubes. "Most ovarian cancers are no longer actually ovarian cancers," he said. Elias adds that one in three to one in four ovarian cancers has a genetic component, so it's worth asking your doctor about your family history.
That shift opens a door to prevention. A procedure called a salpingectomy removes the fallopian tubes but leaves the ovaries in place, so women avoid early menopause. Removing the tubes during other surgeries can lower a woman's lifetime ovarian cancer risk by as much as 78%. In August, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strengthened its guidance. It now routinely recommends removing both tubes during a hysterectomy and offering the procedure during other applicable surgeries.
There's still no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer. In parts of Europe, surgeons already remove the tubes when women who are done having children need abdominal surgery for another reason, such as gallbladder removal. Ovarian cancer rates drop in those women. Dr. Robert DeBernardo, section head of gynecologic oncology, says the step adds about five minutes to surgery and calls it a no-brainer. It only fits operations in the abdomen or pelvis, and many surgeons may not know about it yet. DeBernardo says it's perfectly fine for patients to bring it up before procedures like a hernia repair. His team is working to build a program that offers it during other surgeries.
Ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague: bloating, nausea, feeling full quickly, clothes fitting tighter or new pain. If they last more than three weeks, see a provider and ask directly about ovarian cancer.
Match your workout to your monthly cycle
Your monthly cycle may hold clues to your best workout. The approach is called cycle syncing, and it means matching exercise to your hormone shifts. Experts at University Hospitals say energy often dips during your period, so walking, yoga and stretching may feel best then. After your period, energy tends to climb, making it a good time for running or strength training. Later in the cycle, energy can drop again, and low-impact workouts like Pilates can help. Hormonal birth control blocks the natural cycle, so this approach won't apply to everyone. No matter the phase, listen to your body.
Simple habits to lift your mood as days get shorter
Clocks fall back on Nov. 1, and shorter days can leave some people feeling down. "There isn't one magic formula for boosting our happiness," said Dr. Susan Albers, a psychologist at Cleveland Clinic. She says research shows certain activities trigger the body's feel-good hormones, including serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins.
Exercise tops the list because it's free and you can do it anytime, anywhere. A walk outside in the sunshine boosts serotonin, which helps regulate sleep, appetite and mood. Time with family and friends, a favorite hobby like baking or reading, volunteering, listening to music or watching a comedy can help, too.
What you eat matters as well. Probiotic foods like yogurt, pickles and sauerkraut support gut health, and the gut helps regulate mood. Turkey contains tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin. And don't skimp on sleep. Albers says too little of it can leave people more irritable, stressed and anxious.