Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society about 21,990 women will receive a new diagnoses of ovarian cancer and approximately 15,460 of them will die from ovarian cancer--this is the most recent statistics--in the U.S.ALONE of women suffering with ovarian cancer for JUST 2011. Sadly, only 15% of all ovarian cancers are found in its early stages before it has a chance to spread. If it is caught early enough it can increase the 5-year survival odds from 30% to 90%. In a recent survey of 1700 women with ovarian cancer 36% of them had been initially given the wrong diagnoses and 12% of them were told that it was all in their heads.
One of the biggest concerns is misdiagnoses. Too often doctors overlook or dismiss what the early symptoms are because they are extremely common issues among women. Here are the four early warning signs to look out for:
- Bloating: though common in women the difference is watch out for changes, if the bloating is new, becomes a daily occurrence and remains persistent for more than two to three weeks, it’s time to see your doctor.
- Pelvic/Abdominal Pain: with the way that ovarian cancer grows this type of pain is very common. The peritoneal surface (thin layer of tissue that lines the abdomen) is very sensitive to distention (the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions) and movement. Women experiencing pain should let their doctor know how bad the pain is on a scale from 1 to 10.
- Trouble eating/feeling full quickly: the reason this is a symptom is because when the ovaries release chemicals, it slows the stomach down and makes the commute through the intestines slower. As a result women may experience constipation and difficulty eating because when food is not properly moving through your system it’s hard for it to make room for more food. As the cancer spreads it can adhere itself onto the intestine and cause partial blockages, this can cause nausea, vomiting and difficulty eating.
- Experiencing frequent or urgent needs to urinate: many doctors overlook this because they dismiss them as a UTI (urinary tract infection) or a bladder infection. Ask your doctor to use a dipstick test (a test using a small, chemically treated strip that is dipped into a urine sample; when testing for protein, an area on the strip changes color depending on the amount of protein (if any) in the urine) to determine the difference if you experience chronic symptoms every day for more than 2 weeks.
Knowing what the symptoms are is the best weapon women have. Understanding the early warning signs is essential; so that they can communicate with their doctors what they are experiencing to prevent misdiagnoses. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more or to get involved in volunteering you can visit:www.ocrf.org/index.php
