Ovarian Cancer: Signs, Symptoms and Detection
by Kate Kelley
Within our families we might have a family history of some sort of illness, cancer or disease. For the women in my family, it is breast cancer and ovarian. While we are becoming more proactive about detecting breast cancer early with yearly mammograms and self-exams, detecting ovarian cancer is one that is hard to detect.
My grandma, Gigi as I called her, died of ovarian cancer back in December 1982. My mom and aunt both had a hysterectomy to reduce/eliminate their chances of developing ovarian cancer, but that does not reduce the risk for my cousins and me. Here in the U.S., women have a 1.8% of developing ovarian cancer sometime in her life. A woman who has had a first degree relative, such as a mom or sister, who has had ovarian cancer, has a 4-7% chance of developing over their life. And where breast, ovarian and other cancers are patterned within families, your chance is even higher with a 45% of developing in your lifetime. Only 5-10% of ovarian cancers are thought to be as a result of genetic inheritance. Most cases appear to be from those who do not have a family history of ovarian.
Signs and Symptoms
Since these organs are so small and so deep inside us, it’s hard to detect this cancer early. Here are some symptoms to look for:
· Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
· Vague, but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion
· Frequency and/or urgency of urination in absence of an infection
· Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
· Pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness
· Ongoing unusual fatigue
· Unexplained changes in bowel habits
If these symptoms are persistent longer than 4-6 weeks, please insist to your doctor on having a rectovaginal exam. Persistence of symptoms is the key!
Detection
There are a couple different ways to detect for ovarian cancer. There is not just one that is reliable and accurate, so the following tests should be used:
· Mandatory annual vaginal exam for women age 18 and above and annual rectovaginal exam for women age 35 and above. (Physician inserts fingers in the rectum and vagina simultaneously to feel for abnormal swelling and to detect tenderness.)
· Transvaginal sonography for women, especially those at high risk. (An ultrasound performed with a small instrument place in the vagina.)
· Blood test to determine if the level of a tumor marker called CA-125 has increased in the blood for women at high risk. Its role in postmenopausal women is superior to that in premenopausal women. (This test is not definitive because some non-cancerous diseases of the ovaries also increase the CA-125 levels, and some ovarian cancers may not produce enough CA-125 levels to cause a positive test.)
· CA125 blood test
· If any of these tests are positive, consultation with a gynecological oncologist should be considered. X-ray studied and/or samples of fluid from the abdomen or tissue from the ovaries may be performed.
· The “Ovarian Pap Test” is a new diagnostic test performed to detect pre-cancerous or early cancerous changes on the ovaries. Using minimally invasive office laparoscopy, the “Ovarian Pap Test” directly visualizes the ovaries and collects cells from the surface of the ovary and from the surface of the abdomen; similar to the cervical Pap test that collects surface epithelium from the cervix.
What All this Means
The American Cancer Society says that ovarian cancer accounts for 3% of all cancers among women and ranks fourth as the cause of deaths from cancer. The death rate for this cancer has not decreased in the past 50 years. So what does this mean for you? Pay attention to your body and watch for these signs and symptoms. Please see your doctor if these persist longer than 4-6 weeks and request that the detection tests be performed.
For more information and for how you can support the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, please visit
their website.
Reference: National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
