Ovarian Cancer – Detection and Early Signs

It has often been called “The Silent Killer.” In the early, most manageable stages the symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague and difficult to recognize. Because many of the symptoms afflicting women at risk are commonly attributed to other ailments, many patients and physicians have trouble distinguishing between a possible sign of cancer and less-dangerous conditions. Often this overlap leads to a diagnosis in a much later stage of the condition, greatly decreasing options for treatment.  This article from cancer.org sheds some light on some possible signs patients need to be aware of.

Ovarian cancer may cause several signs and symptoms. Women are more likely to have symptoms if the disease has spread beyond the ovaries, but even early stage ovarian cancer can cause them. The most common symptoms include:

·         Bloating

·         Pelvic or abdominal pain

·         Trouble eating or feeling full quickly

·         Urinary symptoms such as urgency (always feeling like you have to go) or frequency (having to go often)

These symptoms are also commonly caused by benign (non-cancerous) diseases and by cancers of other organs. When they are caused by ovarian cancer, they tend to be persistent and represent a change from normal − for example, they occur more often or are more severe. If a woman has these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks, she should see her doctor, preferably a gynecologist.

Others symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:

·         Fatigue

·         Upset stomach

·         Back pain

·         Pain during sex

·         Constipation

·         Menstrual changes

·         Abdominal swelling with weight loss

However, these symptoms are more likely to be caused by other conditions, and most of them occur just about as often in women who don’t have ovarian cancer.

Physical exam

Your doctor will first take your history and do a physical exam to look for signs of ovarian cancer. These include finding an enlarged ovary (on a pelvic exam) and signs of fluid in the abdomen (which is called ascites).

If there is reason to suspect you have ovarian cancer based on your symptoms and/or physical exam, your doctor will order some tests to check further.

Consultation with a specialist

If your pelvic exam or other tests suggest that you have ovarian cancer, you will need a doctor or surgeon who specializes in treating women with this type of cancer. A gynecologic oncologist is an obstetrician/gynecologist who is specially trained in treating cancers of the female reproductive system. Treatment by a gynecologic oncologist helps ensure that you get the best kind of surgery for your cancer. It has also has been shown to help patients with ovarian cancer live longer. Anyone suspected of having ovarian cancer should see this type of specialist prior to surgery.

Though the warning signs of ovarian cancer may not be readily apparent, having a good idea of what signals to look out for will greatly increase your chances for early detection. If you experience any of the above symptoms for longer than two weeks, talk to you doctor.

Vitamin C helps destroy ovarian cancer cells and alleviate chemotherapy symptoms

If you find out you have the BRCA gene, do not think that surgery is your only option.  There are many ways to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.  Research has found that breast feeding, birth control pills, and having fallopian tubes tied all may help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.  Learn more in the article below and always remember to talk with your doctor before making any decisions.  You can learn more here.

Breast-feeding, birth control pills and having fallopian tubes tied may help reduce ovarian cancer risk in women with BRCA gene mutations, a new review suggests.

Women with BRCA gene mutations are at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers. These findings suggest ways that women with these inherited mutations can reduce their ovarian cancer risk without having their ovaries surgically removed, the University of Pennsylvania researchers said.

“Patients deserve better cancer-risk reduction options than surgically removing their healthy breasts and ovaries,” review co-author Dr. Susan Domchek, executive director of the Basser Research Center for BRCA at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, said in a university news release.

Domchek and her colleagues reviewed 44 studies and found that breast-feeding and tubal ligation were associated with lower rates of ovarian cancer in women with a BRCA1 mutation, while the use of birth control pills was associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer in women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

The researchers also identified factors that may increase the risk of cancer in women with BRCA mutations. For example, smoking may heighten the risk of breast cancer in women with a BRCA 2 mutation.

The findings are to be published in the June issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

“Our analysis reveals that heredity is not destiny, and that working with their physicians and counselors, women with BRCA mutations can take proactive steps that may reduce their risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” lead author Timothy Rebbeck, professor of epidemiology and cancer epidemiology and risk reduction program leader at the Abramson Cancer Center, said in the news release.

“The results of the analysis show that there is already sufficient information indicating how some variables might affect the risk of cancer for these patients,” he added.

About 39 percent of women with a harmful BRCA1 mutation and up to 17 percent of those with a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop ovarian cancer by age 70, compared with 1.4 percent of women in the general population.

Between 55 percent and 65 percent of women with a harmful BRCA1 mutation and 45 percent of women with a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by age 70, compared with about 12 percent of women in the general population.

Both BRCA mutations have also been linked with increased risk for several other types of cancer, according to the researchers.

“It’s imperative that we continue examining and building upon past research in this area so that we can provide BRCA mutation carriers with options at every age, and at every stage of their lives,” Domchek noted.

New Study Reveals That Family History of Cancer Is Not Sufficient For Disease Screening

When people talk about ovarian cancer diagnoses, it is usually the case that a family history of the disease propelled women to get screened to see if they had it themselves. Unfortunately, a new study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals that a family history of the disease is not at all sufficient for determining your own chances of getting ovarian cancer.

Researchers studied 429 women with ovarian cancer, “without regard to whether the women had family histories of breast cancer, ovarian cancer or rare cancer syndromes, all of which can increase the odds of developing ovarian tumors. The women ranged in age from 26 to 89, and 90 percent were Caucasian.” Their findings were striking: 1 in 5 women has an inherited predisposition to ovarian cancer, with a total of 222 inherited genetic variants identified that increase the risk of developing the disease.

As senior author Li Ding, PhD, assistant director at The Genome Institute at the School of Medicine and a research member of Siteman Cancer Center, explains, “Using advanced genomic analysis, we found that 20 percent of women with ovarian cancer had inherited mutations in a gene pathway known to be important in inherited breast and ovarian cancer. That number seems pretty high. This tells us that we need to find better ways to screen women for ovarian cancer, even if they don’t have family histories of the disease.”

Read the full study at the Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom.

Sneaky Symptoms Prevent Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer

Like most cancers, early detection of ovarian cancer is extremely important. However, only around 20 percent of cases are diagnosed early enough to effectively treat the disease. One of the main reasons ovarian cancer is so difficult to detect is because the symptoms can be very subtle and often times, they’re the same symptoms that might arise from a common cold or other “minor” health issues.

The main difference? The symptoms of ovarian cancer will occur daily and they won’t subside. But if you’re not sure what the exact symptoms are for ovarian cancer, Activebeat.com had a great article reviewing some things to look out for - here are some of them:  

Abdominal Pain

Pain in the pelvic area or belly that feels very different from normal indigestion and menstrual problems (i.e., cramps) is indicative of ovarian cancer. Most patients complained of abdominal pain that persisted for longer than 2 weeks, and wasn’t associated with their period, diarrhea, or the stomach flu.

Indigestion

Persistent indigestion, gas, nausea, or other gastro-intestinal issues, like heartburn, are quite common and persistent of ovarian cancer.

Loss of Appetite

Ovarian cancer is known to cause an abrupt loss of appetite that’s normally out of character for the person affected. This is because the cancer impacts metabolism—or the breakdown of food into energy that fuels the body.

Bloating

Frequent bloating or gas pain in your belly or pelvis that doesn’t go away is another symptom of ovarian cancer. For instance, if your abdominals bloat so much that your clothes fit tighter around your waist so suddenly and without diet or activity changes—this may be cause for a doctor’s visit.

Urinary Frequency

Urinary problems, such as being overwhelmed by a sudden urge to urinate as well as peeing more often than usual is a sign of ovarian cancer—this can include bouts of incontinence (complete loss of bladder control before you can get to a bathroom) that will gradually worsen over a few weeks.

Click here to learn about more symptoms of ovarian cancer at Activebeat.com.

Coping With Cancer

Cancer is a disease that affects family members and loved ones as well as the one diagnosed. Coping with the news that someone close to you has cancer can be stressful and emotional, but you don’t have to do it alone. Each person may deal with diagnosis differently, but there are resources that you can look to help guide you and your family through this difficult time.

“How a family handles cancer depends a lot on how the family has dealt with problems in the past. Those who are used to communicating openly and sharing feelings are usually able to talk about how cancer is affecting them. Families who solve their problems as individuals instead of a team might have more trouble coping with cancer.

Cancer treatment includes care for the patient and the family, not just the cancer. A mental health professional may already be a part of the cancer care team. If not, talk with the doctor or nurse to learn about other resources that can help you and your family cope with cancer.

People with cancer often say that lack of communication in their families is a problem. Changes in responsibilities can cause resentment and anxiety. Some family members may not feel comfortable openly discussing their feelings. Other family members may avoid the person with cancer because they feel as if they have nothing to offer, don’t know how to act, or feel they can’t do anything to help make the situation better. These factors can all make families more distant at a time when they need to pull together. Many families need help with this. Through family counseling, members can learn to deal with changes within the family and discuss their feelings more comfortably.”

Find out more about coping with cancer here.

Who Should Get Tested for Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cancer was known as “the silent killer” for many years in the past. That’s because symptoms may be unnoticeable or too similar to other ailments to easily detect. This meant that many women in the past would believe they had a run-of-the-mill problem, only time find out that they had ovarian cancer. However, today, women are better able to get screened to determine if they may have cancer or be at risk for ovarian cancer. According to Healthline.com, “One of the most disappointing facts is that in over 30 years, the mortality rates for ovarian cancer have not been reduced. However, women diagnosed in the early stages have a much higher five-year survival rate than those diagnosed at later stages.”

The risk factors for ovarian cancer are wide-reaching. If you have one of the following risk factors, you may wish to pay special attention to testing for ovarian cancer:

·         Family history of ovarian cancer.

·         Having your first menstrual cycle early in life.

·         Late menopause.

·         Being 65 years old or older.

·         Never having been pregnant.

·         Being overweight or obese.

·         Getting an endometriosis diagnosis.

·         Having breast cancer.

·         Never taking birth control.

Today, there are three major screening methods to determine if you have ovarian cancer. These are a pelvic exam, a CA-125 array, or a transvaginal ultrasound. However, recent evidence shows that these screenings may cause more harm than good, because of a large number of false results (positive and negative). As StopCancerFund.org points out, “In September 2012, the United States Preventative Services Task Force recommended against annual ovarian cancer screening tests for women who do not have symptoms.[3] They concluded that women who have no signs or symptoms, no family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and no increased risk based on their genes do not benefit from screening and may even be harmed by it.”

If you’re concerned about the risk of ovarian cancer, you can simply ask your gynecologist or primary care physician to pay extra attention to your ovaries and reproductive organs when you’re in for your yearly checkup.

Ovarian Cancer: Statistics And Facts

When talking about women’s health issues we often immediately think about breast cancer, the most common type of cancer that affects women. But with so much discussion and dialogue focused on that issue it’s easy to forget that all women are also at risk of developing five types of gynecologic cancers: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar.  And not only are all women at risk of developing one of these cancers, but the risk of that happening also increases with age.

Today we want to talk about ovarian cancer, which affects about 20,000 women each year and is the deadliest of the five gynecologic cancers. Roughly 44% of women survive 5 years or more after a diagnosis.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention report that, “Among women in the United States, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death, after lung and bronchus, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, but it accounts for only about 3% of all cancers in women.”

One of the reasons ovarian cancer is so dangerous is that it’s harder to detect than other cancers. Because of this women should always monitor for signs of trouble and speak to their doctors about their risk of developing ovarian cancer. Mayoclinic.org reports that symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Weight loss
• Discomfort in the pelvis area
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• A frequent need to urinate

All women are at risk of developing ovarian cancer, though most cases appear in women aged 55 and up. A family history of ovarian or breast cancer, a higher weight or BMI, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and certain reproductive issues can all also contribute to a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Click this link to read more about ovarian cancer statistics, risk factors, and symptoms.