Up to now, ovarian cancer has been called a “silent killer” because symptoms were thought to occur only when the cancer had progressed too far to effectively treat. But that thinking changed recently. Three health organizations have identified a set of symptoms that may indicate early-stage ovarian cancer. They are urging women who have these symptoms for more than a few weeks to see their doctors.
Early diagnosis is crucial because when ovarian cancer is found before it spreads to other organs, most cases can be cured and 93 percent of women will survive five years or more. But only 19 percent of cases are found early. As a result, 15,000 women will die from ovarian cancer in 2007, the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicts.
To encourage quicker diagnosis and treatment, this June the ACS joined the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists to announce that identifiable symptoms often do exist for ovarian cancer. These include:
• Bloating.
• Pelvic or abdominal pain.
• Trouble eating or feeling full too quickly.
• Urinary symptoms, such as urgent or frequent feelings of needing to go.
• Fatigue.
• Upset stomach.
• Back pain.
• Pain during sex.
• Constipation.
• Menstrual changes.
It’s obvious that these are also common symptoms of other problems. Indeed, they are more likely to be due to other causes, the ACS reports, and they occur just about as often in women who do not have ovarian cancer as in women who do. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. When these symptoms occur for unusual or unexplained reasons, or when they are present almost daily and last for more than a few weeks, the cancer experts suggest you see your doctor, preferably a gynecologist.
SOURCE: American Cancer Society
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