Cure Our Ovarian Cancer – a charity dedicated to supporting women with ovarian cancer – report that eight in 10 women have symptoms when their cancer has just begun.
This is a tremendous statistic to take stock of because the sooner any type of cancer is discovered by a health professional, the greater the chances of recovery.
The NHS compiled a list of ovarian cancer symptoms, which are the following:
- Feeling constantly bloated
- A swollen tummy
- Discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
- Feeling full quickly when eating, or loss of appetite
- Needing to pee more often or more urgently than normal
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Other notable symptoms include:
- Persistent indigestion or nausea
- Pain during sex
- A change in your bowel habits
- Back pain
- Vaginal bleeding (particularly bleeding after the menopause)
- Feeling tired all the time
- Unintentional weight loss
The Eve Appeal – the only UK national charity funding research and raising awareness into the five gynaecological cancers (womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal) – want to stress that smear tests do not pick up an ovarian cancer.
There is currently no NHS screening programme for ovarian cancer, meaning that women aren’t tested for ovarian cancer unless they present symptoms and concerns to their doctor.
At the moment, the NHS is evaluating whether or not to offer ovarian cancer screening in the next few years.
So far, results published from the world’s biggest ovarian cancer screening trial (UKCTOCS) – which was led by University College London (UCL) and funded by The Eve Appeal, Cancer Research UK, Medical Research Council, and the Department of Health – has suggested that an annual blood test may help reduce the number of women dying from ovarian cancer by around 20 per cent.
As statistics stand now, ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in women.
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Study author Professor Ian Jacobs, President and Vice-Chancellor of UNSW Australia and Honorary Professor at UCL, said: “I am delighted that the UKCTOCS results suggest that early detection by screening may save lives.”
“Longer follow up is needed, but this brings hope in the fight against a disease for which the outlook for women is poor and hasn’t improved much during the past three decades.”
Although ovarian cancer is most common in post-menopausal women, and is extremely rare in women under 40, The Eve Appeal advises to “follow the rule of three”.
“If you feel or look bloated for three weeks or more, then you should see your doctor to rule out anything serious,” the charity says.
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Shockingly, if a woman is persistently bloated – and ovarian cancer is the reason behind it – then it’s more likely to be at the advanced stage.
Ascites is the build-up of fluid in the abdomen and a sign of advanced ovarian cancer.
Annoyingly, four out of five women will be misdiagnosed.
Common Misdiagnoses include: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or constipation, gastritis, stress, depression and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
If you’ve had to see your GP on more than three occasions for these symptoms, and haven’t been referred to a specialist, ask for a referral.
A blood test can be recommended to check for a substance called CA125.
CA125 is produced by some ovarian cancer cells, and a high level of CA125 in your blood could be a sign of ovarian cancer.
A transvaginal ultrasound may also be offered.
If both tests are negative your doctor might repeat the blood test four to 12 weeks later.
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