1.Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in Indian women of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, 90 percent will be older than 40; most ovarian cancers occur in women 60 or older.
2. You should see your doctor if you experience any of these ovarian cancer symptoms:
Vaginal bleeding(especially if you’re post menopause)/abnormal vaginal discharge
Back pain, pain or pressure in the area below your stomach and between your hip bones
Change in bathroom habits, such as urgently needing to urinate, urinating frequently, or having constipation or diarrhoea.
3. It’s not easy to pinpoint the cancer early or based on milder symptoms of ovarian cancer.If the following symptoms persist for a longer time , then it may be valuable to conduct further investigations -
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Strong urge to urinate or frequent urination
Bloating or increased abdominal size
Difficulty eating or feeling full early
The definitive diagnosis is based on Ca 125 testing , transvaginal ultrasounds and CT/MRI .Early diagnosis can lead to better treatment &outcomes.
4. The key risk factors for ovarian cancer are -
Strong family history of ovarian cancer
Women who have never been pregnant
Women who have uninterrupted ovulation due to infertility treatments seem to be at higher risk
Early onset of your period, or having a late menopause, seems to increase risk.
Using talcum powder in the genital area may increase risk.
Any associated history of breast , colon, uterine cancer.
5. Early detection & treatments is the key to enhance long term prognosis.
The mainstay of treatment is surgery which may be accompanied by radio & chemotherapy.The recent advances in immunotherapy has resulted in better outcomes in some cases.
6. Can Surgery prevent ovarian cancer in women with very high risk.The simple answer is yes.Women who have a strong family history of ovarian cancer should opt for this surgery after they’ve completed childbearing. For women who carry the BRCA or other genes that predispose them to ovarian cancer, doctors often recommend early surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes..