What are the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?
What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is a disease in which malignant cells are found in an ovary. There are three types of ovarian tumors, named for the tissue in which they are found:
epithelial cell – cells that cover the surface of the ovary. Most of these tumors are benign (noncancerous). However, epithelial ovarian cancer accounts for 85 percent to 90 percent of ovarian cancer cases.
germ cell – cells that form the eggs in the ovary.
stromal cell – cells that form the ovary and produce female hormones.
Ovarian cancer has often been called the “silent killer” because symptoms are not thought to develop until advanced stages when chance of cure is poor. In fact, textbooks in internal medicine, family practice, and even gynecology state that symptoms do not occur until the disease is advanced.1-4 However, several retrospective studies have indicated that the majority of patients do have symptoms, although not necessarily gynecologic in nature.5-9 These studies have been criticized because of small numbers of patients included and the retrospective chart analyses used for data collection.
Physical symptoms of ovarian cancer include:
abdominal discomfort or pelvic pain
bloating
difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
frequent urination
fatigue
backache
changes in bowel or bladder habits – constipation, diarrhoea, or needing to pass urine more often
Ovarian cancer in its early stages often does not cause any symptoms at all. When symptoms do start, they are often vague and easily mistaken for more common illnesses.
If you have any of the above symptoms it is important to have them checked by your doctor, but remember they are common to many other conditions and most women with these symptoms will not have cancer.
At the moment there is no evidence that routinely screening all women for ovarian cancer would save lives. Some studies are looking at screening women with a family history of ovarian cancer. Others are looking into screening all women over a certain age. Once ovarian cancer has been diagnosed, the main treatments are surgery and chemotherapy.
When symptoms do appear, they are generally so vague that they are often ignored. The most common signs are abdominal swelling or bloating, lower abdominal discomfort, a feeling of discomfort, a feeling of fullness even after a light meal, and loss of appetite. Other complaints may include gas, indigestion, nausea, and weight loss.
As the cancer grows it may affect nearby organs such as the bladder and large bowel, causing frequent urination and constipation. Occasionally, vaginal bleeding can be a symptom of ovarian cancer.
Unfortunately, few advances have occurred in the early detection of ovarian cancer, the most virulent gynecologic malignancy. Physicians still rely on physical examination, a blood test measuring levels of CA 125 and radiologic studies. Cancer Center gynecologic pathologists were some of the first to discover that some ovarian tumors are not cancerous or precursors of cancer. These tumors, known as “low malignancy potential,” can often be removed by skilled Gynecologic cancer surgeons without destroying a patient’s fertility. This finding has been particularly significant for women who have not completed their childbearing.
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