Any women that is at a higher risk needs to become familiar with the various ovarian cancer symptoms and signs. There are a number of different types of ovarian cancer: ovarian epithelial carcinoma, sex cord-stromal tumors, and gram cell tumors. The epithelial variety is by far the most common, but gram cell tumors have the best rate of recovery. While cases that are detected early have a good survival rate, those that go unnoticed have a poor prognosis. Only 45.5% of women with late detected ovarian cancer will live for more than five years, but those cases that are detected early have a 92.7% rate of survival. Because of the disparity in the prognosis between early and late detection, these symptoms should be well-known by anyone that is at risk of developing the condition. In the past, it was thought that ovarian cancer had little or very few signs, but recent studies have shown that there are indeed early ovarian cancer symptoms that may be indicators of the presence of the condition.
The first true symptoms of ovarian cancer index was created to help women identify this problem. The index included the following six symptoms: abdominal pain, pelvic pain, bloating, a feeling of fullness, trouble with eating, and an increase in the size of the abdomen. These symptoms that lasted less than a year, but had at least twelve instances per month were considered to be possible cases. This index had a reported 57% sensitivity rate. In the year 2007, a study was done by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation to accurately pinpoint which symptoms of ovarian cancer may be accurate indicators. In addition to the previously mentioned early ovarian cancer symptoms, the organization added the following reactions to a list of symptoms that occur with higher regularity in women that have ovarian cancer: back pain, pain in the legs, diarrhea, urinary problems, pain during intercourse, irregular vaginal bleeding, difficulty breathing, constipation, or excessive indigestion. With these symptoms, the key to early detection is the frequency and number. While random bouts of these symptoms may be inconclusive, a woman that has persistent occurrences of the symptoms should be tested to determine whether ovarian cancer is the source.
A woman that experiences the ovarian cancer symptoms should make an appointment with a local physician to discuss the issues. The doctor will likely perform a number of test to determine the presence of tumors. The first tests will be general blood tests and those that examine the level of serum electrolytes. The specific BHCG, AFP, and LDH serums will need to be tested for younger women because they can indicate a malignant germ cell. Another blood test that can be used by the physician is known as a CA-125 examination. Although the effectiveness of this test is under debate, there are no superior tests currently available. However, research is being done to find more effective ways to accurately identify this form of cancer to aid in better early detection. A woman who chronically exhibits any of the ovarian cancer symptoms and signs should speak with a local physician to avoid problems with the condition.
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