Guide to Cancer

Ovarian Cancer

Months before ovarian cancer is detected, symptoms can begin to show. Unless a female is receiving the appropriate tests under which this cancer would be revealed, these symptoms often will not be diagnosed. This causes numerous problems in detecting ovarian cancer in it's early developmental stages. The symptoms are in fact fairly often dismissed as they can be rather benign.

For instance, common symptoms such as digestive problems and stomach swelling are sometimes ignored. Let's face it, each of us experiences stomach problems at various stages. Twenty two thousand women in the US alone are affected by this cancer but as the case with many cancer, id caught in it's early development, it's treatable.

If caught before it has a chance to spread to the ovaries, a women can live for at least another five years. However, less than twenty per cent of ovarian cancer is caught in the early stages. Because it's symptoms are unrelated to the actual ovaries, the cancer all too often remains undetected. Tests such as stomach imaging can overlook the ovaries.

Of course, this doesn't mean every time a stomach pain is experienced, a dash to the hospital for a test for ovarian cancer is called for. Researchers have stated however in cases where it's persistent, tests should be taken if other causes have been ruled out. The cancer is rare however and forms only a small per cent if cancers affecting women.

Because of the problems with detection, women are required to take greater responsibility in this area in terms of early detection, which is imperative in the survival rate in this form of cancer.

If they have taken tests for their symptoms and the results have ruled out any other possibility then tests for ovarian cancer should be carried out as soon as possible. The initial response to these persistent symptoms can be imperative in her survival. There has been new research which has found that the CA125 and the ultrasound were often ineffective in finding ovarian cancer in it's early stages, even those who are at high risk.

When I say high risk, I mean females with a family history of ovarian cancer and those who are more susceptible to it thanks to genetic mutations that can increase the odds. Blood tests have proven to be the most effective in detecting the disease though it can give false positive results. The numbers for early detection are poor so we await other means.

It is acknowledged by experts that more research is required in detecting ovarian cancer as this is absolute key in determining the survival rate. The symptoms will remain consistent however so women must be aware of their role in terms of responsibility i.e. Educating themselves on ovarian cancer and it's early detection. Tracking these symptoms can only serve to aid this process. By recording the early symptoms and persistence during the period of evaluation can make the difference between survival and non survival.