Spotting the symptoms of ovarian cancer early can help diagnose and manage the disease early.
- Ovarian cancer can be suspected in several signs.
- Symptoms are not specific and are not always unique to the area of the ovaries.
- They often appear when the tumor has already evolved.
Ovarian cancer remains silent for a long time. Symptoms appear gradually, as the tumor grows, says the Foundation for Cancer Research (Bow).
Knowing them could therefore help identify the tumor before it reaches a critical stage. Today in two out of three casesthe diagnosis is made when the disease is already advanced.
Ovarian cancer: the symptoms are not specific
Symptoms are mostly nonspecific and can be caused by other diseases. They must nevertheless be the subject of a medical follow-up, advise the health authorities.
These are digestive disorders such as bloating, nausea, transit disorders, loss of appetite or even stomach pain. Experts also note gynecological disorders: disruption of menstruation, abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge, tension in the breasts.
Ovarian cancer can also be identified by urinary leakage, pain in the lower abdomen or lower back, an increase in the volume of the abdomen or even a feeling of heaviness or abdominal discomfort. These symptoms are due to disturbances in the pelvic area related to the increase in tumor mass.
Ovarian cancer: symptoms outside the ovarian area
Cancer can also cause signs in different areas than the ovaries.
Indeed, it can lead to shortness of breath or chest pain. Finally, if there is an alteration in general condition with fatigue and weight loss, it may be wise to talk to your doctor or gynecologist.
“A clinical examination, possibly supplemented by biological or imaging examinations, will guide the diagnosis.”, explains the Arch Foundation. It is especially recommended when one or more of these manifestations appear and persist without explanation, in particular abdominal discomfort.
Ovarian cancer: most women don’t know the symptoms
This question is all the more important since today many women still do not know what the symptoms of ovarian cancer are. An English survey, conducted in 2022, revealed that 79% of the 1,000 respondents did not know that bloating could be a manifestation of the disease. The same was true for abdominal pain for 78% of them.
Last alarming figure: 40% of respondents wrongly imagined that ovarian cancer could be detected by screening for cervical cancer. Evidence of ovarian cancer is provided by examination of tissue removed during surgery or taken during a biopsy, says theNational Cancer Institute.
