Women Need to Know: Ovarian Cancer Doesn’t Play by the Rules
By TONYA WARREN
If you see teal ribbons or bracelets adorning lapels or wrists in September, they are being worn in honor of ovarian cancer awareness month.
Selecting this specialty in medical school, Baylor Scott & White-Temple physician Dr. Anthony McDowell spends his days at the forefront of the battle against this deadly cancer. “Ovarian cancer isn’t even in the top 10 of most cancers women get, but it’s number five in terms of cancer-related deaths,” he said. Early diagnosis and treatment are key battle tactics against this relentless enemy.
While pap smears and mammograms allow for an early diagnosis of cervical cancer and breast cancer, respectively, there are no established screening tools for ovarian cancer, according to Dr. Gordon Bates, chairman of Baylor Scott and White’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. However, Bates and McDowell both emphasized the importance of women knowing their bodies and recognizing and consulting their doctors when something feels different with them.
Some imaging tests like ultrasounds may detect ovarian abnormalities such as an enlarged ovary, and according to the Mayo Clinic, the blood test CA 125 detects a certain blood protein that can be high due to several different reasons such as uterine fibroids, diverticulitis and endometrial cancers. This blood test as well as imaging studies may be ordered by your doctor if you are at high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
McDowell said most women present with “vague complaints such as abdominal fullness, bloating, early satiety (feeling satisfied early eating very little) and or pain.” Any of these complaints should be promptly checked out by a doctor. If possible, every woman should know her family medical history. Let your doctor know if your mother, grandmother, sister, aunt or cousin has ever had a cancer diagnosis, as genetic testing might be recommended.
Bates and McDowell shared exciting advances in treating ovarian malignancies.
“Most patients will have a good response to surgery and chemotherapy, but up to 80% may experience a recurrence,” McDowell said, adding that discoveries in the last 15 years have revolutionized treatment, such as the development of Bevacizumab, a drug that blocks the signal for new blood vessel growth, thus choking out cancer cell nutrients that feed the spread of wild, malignant cells.
“We are getting closer and closer to personalized medicine,” Bates added, which allows doctors to design cancer-fighting treatments that hopefully lessen unwanted side effects.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer
It is rare for people with advanced-stage ovarian/fallopian tube cancer to not have any symptoms or signs, which is why it is critical to pay attention to what your body tells you and to seek evaluation and treatment from a physician. Symptoms and signs for ovarian/fallopian tube cancer may include:
- Abdominal bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary symptoms, such as urgency or frequency
- Fatigue
- Upset stomach
- Indigestion
- Back pain
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Constipation
- Menstrual irregularities/vaginal bleeding after menopause
- Swelling in the pelvis or abdomen
- Vaginal discharge, which may be clear, white, or tinged with blood
For many people, these symptoms can be caused by reasons not related to ovarian cancer, and they may occur often. However, it is important for a person to acknowledge these symptoms if they begin and are different from what is normal for their bodies. People who have any of the symptoms listed above every day for more than a few weeks should see their primary care doctor or a gynecologist. Early medical evaluation may help find cancer at the earliest possible stage of the disease, when it is easier to treat successfully.
Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis. You know your body and what is normal. If you feel that something is out of balance with your body, self-advocate for answers.
If a doctor diagnoses cancer, relieving symptoms remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called ”palliative care“ or ”supportive care.“ It is often started soon after diagnosis and is continued throughout treatment.
Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
Source: Cancer.Net
