The month of September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and this week on our blog, the team of Cherokee Women’s Health felt it important to remind women how important it is to maintain a good relationship with your doctor and to spread awareness about this disease. Approximately 1.5% or 1 in 71 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Most women do not experience any symptoms of ovarian cancer, so it’s important to be in tune with your body and be comfortable talking to your doctor about any changes.
While ovarian cancer is harder to detect than other cancers, there are some symptoms women can watch out for, especially if they persist for two weeks or longer:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Enlargement or swelling of the abdomen
- Inability to eat normally
- Unexplained weight loss
- Urinary frequency or incontinence
- Constipation
- Feeling tired
- Indigestion
A malignant cyst on the ovaries may be found during a routine yearly pelvic exam with your OB/GYN. Other diagnosis options are vaginal ultrasound, laparoscopy or blood tests.
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Vaginal Ultrasound – This procedure uses sound waves to create pictures of your internal organs that allow your doctor to view the images on a screen. The ultrasound will show shape, size, location and makeup of the cyst.
Laparoscopy – In this type of surgery, a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen to view the pelvic organs. Laparoscopy can also be used to treat cysts.
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Blood tests – For women past menopause age, in addition to an ultrasound, your doctor may recommend a blood test that measures the amount of CA 125 in your blood. An increased CA 125 level may be a sign of ovarian cancer in women past menopause.
Treatment for ovarian cancer is based on the stage of the cancer and how much the cancer has spread outside the ovary. Epithelial ovarian cancer has four stages, ranging from the least to most advanced stage. Usually, surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries is performed, and sometimes the lymph nodes and tissue from the abdomen may be removed as well. Surgery may be followed by chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the cancer.
It’s important for women treated for ovarian cancer to schedule routine checkups with their health care provider so that they can monitor your body’s progress after treatment and to make sure that you stay as healthy as possible.
