+ HEALTH & Wellness
What You Need to Know
About Ovarian Cancer
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness
Month, so take this time to learn about the
symptoms and risk factors then spread the
word to all of the women in your life.
Several preventative screenings help women stay on
top of their health. Mammograms can detect breast
cancer at its earliest stages, and Pap tests are a powerful
tool for identifying abnormalities that can lead to
cervical cancer. However, there is currently no preventative
screening available for the most deadly gynecological
cancer: ovarian cancer.
According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition,
ovarian cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells
occur inside, near or on the outer layer of the ovaries,
depending on the type and stage. The ovaries are almondshaped
organs within a woman’s reproductive system that
store eggs as well as produce estrogen and progesterone.
Ovarian cancer is tricky because it often presents
with vague symptoms that can be confused for other ailments
or that are easy for women to brush off as nothing.
These symptoms, which typically get more intense over
time, include:
• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Feeling the need to urinate urgently or often
• Fatigue
• Upset stomach or heartburn
• Back pain
• Pain during sex
• Constipation or menstrual changes
The NOCC notes that persistence of symptoms is
key when it comes to the possibility of ovarian cancer.
If a woman’s symptoms are new and don’t resolve with
normal interventions, such as a change in diet, exercise or
increased rest, after a two-week period then a consultation
with a doctor is recommended.
Listening to your body is the best way to catch ovarian
cancer in its earliest stages, when the survival rate is
near 90%. Sadly, only about 19% of ovarian cancer diagnoses
are made in these early stages (stages I or II) due to
the silent signs and symptoms, according to the NOCC.
If diagnosed in stage III or higher, the survival rate dips
as low as 28%.
Also, it’s important to be aware of your risk factors,
which includes genetic predisposition; personal or family
history of breast, ovarian or colon cancer; increasing
age; and infertility. Having one or more of these risk factors
doesn’t mean that you will ultimately develop ovarian
cancer, but you should be vigilant in watching for early
symptoms if you do.
By Lyndsay Fogarty
10 Central Florida Lifestyle | September 2019
Did You Know?
1. One in 78 women will be diagnosed with ovarian
cancer in her lifetime.
2. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of
cancer-related deaths in women ages 35-74.
3. The American Cancer Society estimates that, this
year, over 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer
will be diagnosed and more than 14,000 women
will die from ovarian cancer.
4. Pap tests do not detect ovarian cancer.
5. All women are at risk, but genetic factors do
come into play. Genetic testing for BRCA1 and
BRCA2 gene mutations can show potential risk
for breast and ovarian cancer as well as several
other cancers.
Source: National Ovarian Cancer Coalition