The symptoms of ovarian cancer can appear months before the cancer is
found. Unless a woman is getting the tests that would reveal the cancer
these symptoms many times wont be diagnosed. This alone is one of the
problems with detecting ovarian cancer in its early stages. The
symptoms of ovarian cancer are quite often dismissed due to the fact
that they can be rather benign.
Stomach swelling and digestive problems for instance which are common
symptoms of the presence of ovarian can be easily dismissed and
ignored. Stomach problems are something everyone experiences at various
times in their life. Ovarian cancer afflicts more than twenty-two-
thousand women annually in the U.S. If caught in the early stages this
cancer is treatable as goes for many other cancers.
If detected in its early stages, before it has spread from the ovaries
a woman has a ninety percent chance of living for at least another five
years. Unfortunately, less than twenty percent of ovarian cancer is
detected in its early stage, Due to the fact that the symptoms of
ovarian cancer don't involve the ovaries themselves the cancer many
times can be overlooked as tests like stomach imaging can overlook the
ovaries.
This is not to say that every time a woman gets a stomach ache or
pelvic pain she should dash off to be tested for ovarian cancer. In
cases where problems are persistent though researchers have concluded
that ovarian cancer should be considered. If tests have ruled out other
causes than tests for ovarian cancer should be performed. Ovarian
cancer is a relatively rare cancer in women, it afflicts a small part
of the general population and makes up a small percentage of the
cancers afflicting women in general.
For the woman stricken with this form of cancer the statistics mean
nothing though. So it appears from research findings that women have to
take a greater part in the detection of this disease due to the nature
of the symptoms and the elusive nature of this disease and with early
detection so imperative in determining the survival rate of women
afflicted with ovarian cancer.
If tests have ruled out other causes for the symptoms than tests for
ovarian cancer should be performed earlier in the diagnosis process. A
womans early response to the persistent symptoms related to ovarian
cancer can be the key to her survival. New research has discovered that
ultrasound and the CA125 test were many times not effective in
detecting ovarian cancer in its early stages even in women already at
high risk for developing the disease.
Women at high risk include women with a family history of the disease
and women predisposed to it due to genetic mutations that can make
ovarian cancer more likely. Of the two tests the blood test has shown
to be more effective in finding ovarian cancer but it can sometimes
give false positive results. Statistics are not good for the early
detection of the cancer so other means must be developed it seems.
Experts agree that more research is needed in the area of detection of
the disease as this seems to be so critical in determining the survival
rate for ovarian cancer. The symptoms will always be the same though so
for their part women must make themselves more aware of this cancer and
its early detection. Tracking the symptoms can only be of help. Keeping
an accurate record of your early symptoms and being persistent during
the evaluation process can be the difference between surviving and not
surviving ovarian cancer.
