Saturday, February 21, 2009

What are the early symptoms of ovarian cancer

By Mark Ardine

In the US, ovarian cancer is the fourth major cause of death from cancer for women and affects 1 in 57 women. This can be successfully treated if it is diagnosed early. However, only about 24% of ovarian cancer cases are detected early on, resulting in lower survival rates. Hence, it is highly essential for women to watch for early symptoms of ovarian cancer.

To help people recognize the signs of ovarian cancer, the American Cancer Society in 2007, published some guidelines. Early symptoms of ovarian cancer can be bloating, gas, a "full" feeling, tiredness, irregular periods, abdominal or pelvic pain, and intense or frequent urination. Having a hard time eating or feeling full too early after beginning to eat are also signs of the presence of ovarian cancer.

Women who are at risk for ovarian cancer should monitor and report suspected early symptoms of ovarian cancer to their doctor in order to have it diagnosed early. Right now, early ovarian cancer cannot be definitively detected by any one screening examination. Certain symptoms like menstrual irregularities or pelvic pain is not always indicative of ovarian cancer, but awareness of any early symptoms of ovarian cancer is helpful in saving lives.

In order to rule out ovarian cancer, it is essential to visit your doctor if you experience any sudden or out of the ordinary symptoms, and then follow it up with a bimanual pelvic exam, a transvaginal ultrasound, and a Ca125 blood test. Women who have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, have never used birth control pills or have had no pregnancies and whom were diagnosed with breast cancer before they were 50 years old are more likely than most to develop ovarian cancer.

Some women are at more risk of developing ovarian cancer than others. Women who are Ashkenazi Jews, are over the age of 50, have 2 or more relatives diagnosed with ovarian cancer, have been exposed to many fertility drugs are at higher risk. Regular monitoring for early symptoms of ovarian cancer are doubly important for these women.

Having regular gynecological check-ups are important for any woman's health. Immediate medical attention should be sought for symptoms that are present for greater than a few weeks. It is also important to realize that what may seem to be early symptoms of ovarian cancer may be something else entirely. These symptoms can also indicate ovarian cysts, irritable bowel syndrome, or another condition that a medical examination would be able to detect.

It is extremely critical to be aware of what the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are so this disease can be stopped before getting any worse. More than 6 percent of cases of cancer are fatal and women along with their physicians need to be aware of these symptoms and keep a close watch for them.

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