Early Warning Signs Of Ovarian Cancer In Women: Ovarian cancer is considered to be the third most common cancer among women in India. The matter of concern is that most women recognize it when the disease has progressed significantly. According to experts, about 70 to 80 percent of ovarian cancer cases in India occur in advanced stage. The main reason for this is not that the disease cannot be caught early, but its initial symptoms are so common that they are often ignored considering it to be some other problem.
Are its symptoms not known in advance?
Oncologists have long called ovarian cancer a silent disease, but Dr. Sampada Desai told TOI that this disease is not completely silent. According to him, ovarian cancer is definitely called silent cancer, but it gives less symptoms. Its symptoms are often very general and mostly resemble problems related to digestion. Sampada Desai says that early filling of the stomach, constant flatulence, feeling of discomfort in the upper stomach and digestion related problems can be its initial signs. The problem is that women avoid these symptoms by associating them with gas, hormonal changes or other general problems.
Which problems should not be ignored?
According to Dr. Shona Nag, persistent flatulence is one of the most common signs. Many patients report that they feel extremely full even after eating less food. If along with this, pain in the lower abdominal or pelvic area persists or returns again and again, then it should not be ignored. Apart from this, abnormal changes in periods, too much or too little bleeding, irregular periods or any kind of bleeding after menopause can be serious signs. According to Dr. Shona, hormonal changes are common, but persistent irregularities demand medical examination. Similarly, smelly, bloody or abnormal vaginal discharge after menopause can also be a warning sign.
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What things should be kept in mind?
According to experts, if any symptom persists for more than two weeks or appears for more than 12 days in a month, then a gynecologic oncologist should be immediately consulted. Women who have a family history of ovarian, breast or colon cancer need to be especially cautious. In such cases the genetic risk is higher. Since there is no regular screening test available for ovarian cancer like cervical or breast cancer, awareness is the biggest weapon.
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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
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