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10 Early Warning Signs of Ovarian Cancer You Shouldn't Ignore
10 Early Warning Signs of Ovarian Cancer You Shouldn't Ignore
November 2, 2014
Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecological cancer in women
with the highest mortality rate, mostly because it is discovered at a late
stage.
Europe, especially the regions in Eastern and Northern Europe have the
highest rate of women suffering from ovarian cancer. In 2012 there were 65
000 patients, so the disease became the sixth most common cancer in
women in Europe. About 250,000 women develop cancer every year.
Only 50% of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer survive five years
after the initial diagnosis. This is because the cancer is in advanced stage.
With early detection, however, this percent can increase up to 95%.
Women can develop ovarian cancer at any age, but it is more likely to occur
in women who are 50 or older. More than half of the cases are women at
the age of 65 and older. Industrialized countries have the highest incidence
of ovarian cancer. Women with white skin are at a slightly higher risk;
African-American and Asian women are at lower risk.
The risk of developing the disease increases with the age. Ovarian cancer is
the fifth most common cancer in American women and the second most
common gynecological cancer. That is 4% of all cases of cancer in women.
However, the death rate for ovarian cancer is higher than for any other
cancer in women, because it is not early detected.
Diagnosis
So far there are no tests that can reliably show if a woman has an earlystage ovarian cancer. Some diagnostic procedures include a thorough
bimanual pelvic examination, diagnosticlaparoscopy, and variousxrayprocedures.
An ultrasound can be made through the abdomen and the lower pelvic
region or with a transvaginal probe. Low GI series or barium enema involve
series of X-rays to highlight the other organs. CA-125 blood test is used to
determine the level of CA-125, a tumor marker.
High awareness among women and their gynecologists is more than
necessary. They must be aware that regular checkups, especially in cases
of bloating can detect and diagnose cancer at an early stage when it can
be actually cured.
Women who are at high risk due to a family history, should do regular
checkups. Although there is no strong evidence, when it comes to treating
menopausal symptoms, women are advised to use the lowest dose of
hormone replacement therapy in the shortest period possible.
Treating
There are various treatments. According to the specialists, women