Things you need to know about ovarian cancer

Like in some other cancer types, there has recently been an increase in ovarian cancer. We wanted to shed some light on the things every woman needs to know about this disease.

The fifth most frequent cancer type among women.
Despite being technically a rare cancer type (the usual ones are breast, intestine, pulmonary cancer); ovarian cancer continues to impact 6.700 women on average, every year in Great Britain. The contracting risk varies based on age, genetic tendency and lifestyle from woman to woman. The risk of a woman to contract this type of cancer is around 2% and increases as age goes up.

It is a bigger threat than cervical cancer.
Most of us are familiar with smear tests and cervical cancer. A study revealed that almost half of the women asked consider cervical cancer more threatening than the ovarian cancer. Sorry, but this is not the truth. The number of women who lose their lives every year because of ovarian cancer is almost five times that of women who die of cervical cancer. The difference between these is women get smear tests on a regular basis.

There are some early signs.
Before, it was believed that symptoms were not revealed unless the cancer had reached an advanced level. However, that is not the case anymore. The symptoms which are revealed in the early phases of the disease are not `noticed` while the situation gets serious, which results in irreversible results. In 2008 NHS (National Health and Early Diagnosis Initiative) determined the most important three symptoms of ovarian cancer:
Consistent pelvic or stomach ache
Increase in the abdominal dimensions and permanent swelling which will not go
Difficulty in eating and feeling full most of the time

Less frequently seen symptoms:
Sudden and frequent need to urinate
Changes in bowel behavior such as constipation or diarrhea
Consistent feeling of fatigue
Back pain

According to a study 80% of women do not care about these symptoms. If you observe the above mentioned symptoms for four weeks or more you should see your doctor. Even if you are not diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the end of the tests conducted, it is important to be tested.

With Early Diagnosis 70% of patients can survive.
However, it is unfortunate that today the survival rate within 5 years following the diagnosis is around 30% because of lack of early diagnosis. It is important to understand the indicators. If your concerns continue then it is of vital importance that you keep a diary about such symptoms and go to your doctor.

Could be mistaken with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Doctors could be criticized for not being aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. And the number of doctors who are not fully aware of such symptoms is not that few. However, one should not forget about the difficulty of a doctor`s task given that these symptoms are shared by many other diseases too.  It is a general and frequent tendency to mistake ovarian cancer with IBS which is seen one in every five women along with stomachache, swelling and changes in bowel behavior. Do not hesitate to contact your doctor about the details of symptoms.

Does not affect only senior women.
Even though ovarian cancer is generally seen among women aged 50 or above, some types can affect even women in their 20's. In this case the symptoms can be confused with the symptoms in the other gynecological problems such as myoma and endometriosis. If there are two or three members of your family or relatives who suffer from ovarian or lung cancer, this genetically increases your possibility to catch ovarian cancer at an early age. According to one study, ovarian cancer among Jewish, Polish, Icelandic and Pakistan women tends to occur at an early age genetically.  If you think that you might have a genetic family problem you should share this with your doctor. Do not forget that nine out of every ten ovarian cancer cases develop independently from genetic factors.

Fight against weight decreases the risk.
A study conducted in the USA showed that in obese women who have passed their menopause period,  the risk of ovarian cancer is 80% more. Losing weight by eating healthily will decrease the risk of cancer as well as the risk of heart attack or diabetes type 2. Furthermore, exercising for at least 4 hours a week will significantly decrease the risk of ovarian cancer.Scientists are working on a new scanning test…There is no specific scanning test for only ovarian cancer at the moment. However, an extensive study about the potential benefits is being conducted on 200.000 women. Important news about this issue is expected to be announced in 2014.

Tweet

Top