Ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed too late and that is the reason why this is the second most common gynecological cancer with the highest rate of mortality. Every year more than 250.000 women get this cancer. If diagnosed on time, about 95 percent of the women can be saved.
Woman need to be responsible as well as their gynecologist. They must be aware that regular checkups, especially if bloated can help in detecting the disease in its early stage when it is still curable.
Women that are genetically predisposed to this disease need to make regular tests although there is none that is completely reliable. Also women in menopause should use fewer hormones for alleviating menopause symptoms.
Symptoms and signs
There are no any early signs of this disease. This is the reason why this cancer is often called “silent killer”, because the women do not know if they actually have it or have symptoms that aren’t related with the cancer, until the cancer is in its advanced stage.
Following, you can read more about the symptoms that are warning signs of an ovarian cancer:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Frequent urination and pelvic pressure
- Fatigue
- Lack of appetite
- Digestive symptoms, such as indigestion, constipation, gases or feeling of fullness after light meal, cramps, bloating and abdominal discomfort.
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
- Pain during intercourse
- Unexplained changes in the bowel
- Vaginal bleeding in a post-menopausal women
- Swelling or abdominal pain
Causes:
It is familiar that there are many factors which increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer, but the exact reason is still unfamiliar.
These are the women that are more likely to get an ovarian cancer:
- White women, mostly in Northern Europe;
- Women who had a breast cancer;
- Women who haven’t been pregnant or even had children;
- Women who have more than 50 years. Even one half of the patients are women over 65;
- Women that have a family history of breast, ovarian, prostate, colon or endometrial (uterus) cancer;
- Women who have a very close relative (mother, daughter, sister) diagnosed with an ovarian cancer, and
- Women with a genetic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (This does not mean that every single woman with these mutations will get an ovarian cancer).
Source: losingweightdone.com