Ovarian cancer: How to spot early signs and symptoms

Ovarian cancer, or malignant tumours around the ovaries, is the third most common gynaecological cancer in India with an incidence of 5.4 to 8 per 100,000 women. “But early diagnosis improves your chances of recovery and the cure rate is increasing,” she says.

Why women misread signs and symptoms

Ovarian cancer is asymptomatic in the early stages and is mostly diagnosed in the advanced stages. Early stage symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, dyspepsia and abdominal cramps, usually accompanied by a loss of appetite, are the easiest to overlook because they mimic symptoms of indigestion or acidity that usually settle with a pill. Also, the impact is less felt as the cancer continues to grow silently in the inside layer of the abdomen first. That’s why if these symptoms persist beyond a week with no change in severity, consult a gynaecologist.

Other symptoms are a frequent urge to urinate, sudden change in bowels, unexplained weight loss or breathlessness. All this happens because the tissue growth presses against the bladder wall or the lower part of the lungs. Patients experience back pain when fluid accumulates in the pelvis or when the tumour spreads in the abdomen or pelvis, directly grating against the tissue in the lower back. The abdomen swells up in such cases. Unexplained pain during sexual intercourse can be a red flag. Those at high risk include women who have had their first menstrual cycle before age 12, menopause after age 50, never had children or gave birth and breast-fed for the first time after 30.

Ovarian cancer

Incidence in younger women

Ovarian cancer can occur in young women, too, as germ cell cancer. These have good prognosis and can be completely cured by surgeries and chemotherapy. The unaffected ovary and uterus are usually spared in these cases. Younger women are also exposed to more carcinogens from food and water these days.

What surgery and treatment entail

The affected ovary or both ovaries need to be removed as part of surgical management. The result of this is reduced or loss of ovarian function. Younger patients can then have problems of infertility or premature ovarian menopause.

Then there are chemotherapy and targetted therapies. The second uses drugs to identify and attack cancer cells, changing the way they grow and divide.

Risk factors

About 20 to 25 per cent of ovarian cancers are genetic. If there is a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, then the woman should be cautious. Other triggers are obesity and hormone replacement therapy

Can polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) cause ovarian cancer

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) results in cysts, usually on the outer edge of the ovaries. These contain immature eggs that aren’t released during ovulation. These are caused by hormonal imbalances and are not associated with ovarian cancer. However, women with complaints of infertility and related treatments have a higher chance of developing it.

Testing and  prevention

Women in the high risk group should correct their lifestyle markers. There is no screening for ovary cancer. And even if you get an ultrasound or a pap smear test done in a year, go for a physical examination or the well-woman test in between screenings. Since ovarian cancer can develop and grow very fast, the pelvic testing at the gynaecologist’s clinic becomes necessary.