Signs of Ovarian Cancer
The ovaries are small organs that are located within the uterus, right off from the fallopian tubes. They are responsible for releasing the eggs that help aide in forming embryos, (which will eventually become babies). They also create hormones that help regulate a woman’s reproductive system. Indeed, without them women would not be able to continue human life. Yet, when they become inflicted with tumors, they develop ovarian cancer. And, despite the fact that ovarian cancer develops in the reproductive area of a woman’s body, very few signs of ovarian cancer actually originate there. And of the few signs of ovarian cancer that do relate to the uterine or vaginal areas, they are not necessarily dire enough for an individual to suspect something more serious. Still, a woman should be aware of the most common signs of ovarian cancer, so when these ‘minor’ symptoms do happen, she will a least be concerned enough to make a doctor’s appointment.
So, what are the signs of ovarian cancer? The majority of the signs of ovarian cancer occur in the abdominal region. These signs of ovarian cancer can affect a woman’s appearance as well as her digestive health. In terms of appearance, the biggest sign of ovarian cancer is a swollen abdomen. For digestive health the signs of ovarian cancer can include increased problems with gas, nausea or indigestion. There may also be pain or discomfort within the abdomen, as the ovarian cancer tumors spread into that region.
The few signs of ovarian cancer that do occur in a woman’s reproductive system include vaginal bleeding and pain during intercourse. Truly, it is quite odd that a woman wouldn’t develop more signs of ovarian cancer in this region, especially considering that it is the area in which the cancer develops in the first place. Yet, cancer doesn’t necessarily work in the way a person expects, even cancers that are not ovarian. Many times a person will develop symptoms in a region not related to where the cancer originated because the tumors have metastasized. In fact, when a person gets surgery for ovarian cancer, doctors have to check and make sure that the tumors found in the ovaries are truly indicative of ovarian cancer. This is because they could be a cancer that has metastasized from another area.
Anyway, if a woman discovers she has any signs of ovarian cancer, she needs to discuss her problems with her doctor. If the woman is at greater risk of developing ovarian cancer, the doctor won’t rule out that her problems are potential symptoms of the condition. From there the doctor will perform ovarian cancer screenings, though it should be known that these tests are very effective. Yet, for women who have signs of ovarian cancer, they could mean the difference between getting real treatment or dying latter, since the disease has progressed so far.
In conclusion, the signs of ovarian cancer unfortunately aren’t smoking guns for the disease. They are general and can occur for any condition. Yet, even with this fact in mind, they still show that something wrong is going on inside the body. Yeah, it may not be ovarian cancer, but it could be something else. So, it doesn’t hurt to at least get a physical, something that everyone should be doing anyway.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are usually pretty easy to spot. Symptoms include problems with digestion, abdominal pains and swelling, problems with gas and regularly experiences nausea. These are the signs that you will first see, as the cancer develops more symptoms will be seen.
Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates
It’s a shame but only 35 percent of women who get ovarian cancer will survive the terrible cancer. Researchers however are searching for a new drug which will increase the chance of ovarian cancer suffers surviving, initial research has been positive however it will be some time before they find a drug that cures cancer completely.