The ovarian cancer symptoms can be vague, but if you succeed to detect it early, it might be a key to survival.
Why are ovarian cancer symptoms so silent?
There exists the five-year relative survival rate for all types of ovarian cancer and it equals to fourty five percent, but this number rises to ninety two percent if the cancer is caught in stage IA or IB, right before it is spread beyond the ovary, in accordance to the American Cancer Society.
Because of the fact that ovarian cancer symptoms may be very hard to recognize, about seventy percent of all cases are not found until they have advanced to stage III or IV, when it happens that the chances for survival are a lot lower, notes Kevin Holcomb, a director of gynecologic oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine. This kind of cancer is not so much a silent disease, Dr. Holcomb notes. A huge number of females with ovarian cancer have some symptoms in the months and weeks leading up to the diagnosis but it is actually very sad that many are vague and nonspecific. This kind of cancer whispers, and therefore, you have to listen closely. Contrary to the breast cancer, there are no tests that have been developed to screen for ovarian cancer so accurately, which makes this cancer hard to be detected, but unless you report symptoms early yourself. In case you are feeling more than one of the symptoms for a week or more than this, consult with your doctor about getting a transvaginal sonogram, pelvic examination, or a CA 125 blood test, which will help detect ovarian cancer. There follows the things OB-GYNs wish you knew about this cancer.
Abdominal bloating
With this type of cancer, not only that the tumors can grow very large,
but they may also result in fluid growing around them, which in turn may
cause a dramatic abdominal extension, as explained by Amanda Fader, an
associate professor and director of Kelly Gynocologic Oncology Service
at Johns Hopkins Medicine. I fit happens that your abdomen is growing
while your face and arms are losing fat and muscle, it is probable that
it is not just weight gain. Therefore, make sure that you ignore these
myths about ovarian cancer.
Changes in bowel habits
Females that were diagnosed with ovarian cancer may in sudden way start
having severe constipation that can end up with diarrhea and your doctor
can suggest tests for gastrointestinal problems like irritable bowel
syndrome, but you shall ask if it could be a sign of this cancer. What
we are hoping is that if the patients and physicians are aware of the
ovarian cancer symptoms, the controls for the ovarian cancer would come
earlier as opposed to being the last thing that is looked into, Doctor
Holcomb noted. There follow some other cancer symptoms women are likely
to ignore.
Loss of appetite
In case you find yourself getting full a lot faster and also be unable
to eat as much as you used to, you may be having some ovarian cancer
symptoms. You should consult with your doctor if you’ve suddenly lost
weight without planning to, Dr. Holcomb explains.
Nausea
Experiencing nausea and vomiting are some oft he symptoms that are
common to many diseases, therefore, your doctor may not immediately
suspect ovarian cancer. The symptoms of this cancer are not an isolated
symptom, but a combination of them, Doctor Holcomb has noticed. If you
combine it with nausea and bloating, there are also some other changes.
Urinating more often
Often goings to the bathroom may mean more than a small bladder, Fader
explained, and if this kind of change has been sudden and is in
combination with some other symptoms, you shall immediately consult with
your physician or gynecologist. Here we present you some more secrets
your bladder wishes it could tell you.
Menstrual irregularities
There exist many causes may lead to a sudden change in your menstrual
cycle or some bleeding between periods, in accordance to the Ovarian
Cancer National Alliance. Always having irregular period alone may not
be cause for sudden concern, but a combination with some other symptoms
together with it may mean some larger problem. Here you have the other
unusual menstrual cycle symptoms to watch for.
Painful intercourse
If it happens that sex suddenly becomes painful and continues to be for more than two weeks, it is a quite smart and also a good idea to talk to your doctor, advised the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. These are the eleven other reasons sex might be painful.