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Womens Health
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of
the deadliest "women's cancers". While there is nothing
unusually aggressive about ovarian malignancy, nor are the ovaries
particularly close to any especially vital organs, the basic
difficulty of accurately diagnosing ovarian cancer means it is
rarely caught until a late stage of the disease. While breast
cancer is often diagnosed when it is still limited to a small
portion of one breast, and cervical cancer can often be 'caught'
before it even becomes full-blown cancer, ovarian cancer is often
asymptomatic in the early stages, and the symptoms later on are
easily confused with the symptoms of other, more benign, issues.
Any woman who experiences a 'cluster' of the following symptoms,
lasting two or more weeks in duration, should schedule a pelvic
exam with her gynaecologist, specifically mentioning concern
about ovarian cancer as something the doctor should look into:
General Symptoms:
- a feeling of 'heaviness' or 'fullness' in the abdomen
- unexplained vaginal bleeding
- sudden, unusual weight gain or weight loss
- abnormal menstrual cycles (especially if a new development)
- chronic, worsening back pain, for no apparent reason
- abdominal bloating, not related to monthly cycle
Gastrointestinal symptoms:
- lower abdominal discomfort
- sudden/unexplained increased gas
- increased indigestion, nausea and vomiting
- unusual lack of appetite/unable to eat a lot
- unexplained bloating
Other possible symptoms:
- more frequent urination than usual
- sudden excessive hair growth
Because ovarian cancer can be so hard to diagnose in the early
stages, it is important to test for as many known risk factors
as possible if you have any family history of ovarian cancer
whatsoever. Genetic screening for mutations of the BRCA1 or the
BRCA2 gene is one option, as abnormalities in these two genes
are linked to both ovarian and breast cancer. Also, a family
history of uterine cancer, colon cancer, or other cancer of the
gastrointestinal tract may also indicate strong genetic risk
factors for ovarian cancer.
While genetic screening is relatively expensive and sometimes
difficult to obtain, the American Cancer Society funded a study
at a US university showing a correlation between high levels
of lysophospholipid fatty acids and later development of ovarian
cancer. A simple blood test can measure your lysophospholipid
levels, and it proved 93% effective in predicting ovarian cancer
(less than 4% false positives), so it's worthwhile to request
the blood test from your doctor if you are concerned.
Such screening methods may one day prove as effective in predicting
ovarian cancer as the Pap smear has proven in preventing cervical
cancer. However, until these tests become a routine part of medical
care for women, you must take responsibility for your own preventative
care, and request testing if you feel you might be at risk.
If you find you are in a high-risk group, you may want to
consider a double oophorectomy (having both ovaries removed)
when you are no longer interested in bearing children. While
the possible risks associated with hormone replacement therapy
are nothing to dismiss, it is much easier to manage than it is
to reliably detect ovarian cancer in its early, easy to treat
stages.
Ovarian Cancer Links
UK Department of Health
National Candida
Society
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